…but the hunger

Lightning strikes soul to soul, a wild beauty, a burning torch
falling upon the snow, watching it melting
forming rivers upon the ground
a dance of fire and ice, of passion and restraint
igniting the blaze of a burning desire
one step forward two steps back
until all that remains are the ashes and the memories of the fire
we are drawn to each other like moths to the flames
unable to resist the all-consuming heat
we know the danger so we circle each other
until we can no longer abstain
and in the aftermath the force of it brings me to my knees
I know this pain, I feel it now, a searing heat in my chest
my heart aches for you, for the tides of desire
but now there is nothing, nothing left, but the hunger
a bell tolls in the night air, a sharp, sweet sound
that stirs something ancient and something wild, in me
and I feel my heart beating like thunder, insatiable unquenchable
my longing swallows me whole
fire and ice both burn, both leave me trembling
ice melts, fire becomes ashes
both washed away in the next rain
but these fires, these wild fires are built from buried desires
all it takes is one spark from a match, fuel to the flames
these blazing scars of desire can never be extinguished
and I know now that your dark eyes
are the only stars that I will ever need
the only pathway for me to find my way home
so I surrender to these flames and let them consume me
over and over again, as I quietly whisper your name
© Ann Bagnall