she sat by shallow waters

finger stirring thoughts and desires into the flesh

of waves, flesh of men and women and

the memory of their touch on her skin

rendered now spectacular, ephemeral, divine,

as she lays down in the bed of longing, her naked body 

taking on the colors of the rainless clouds,

the red and purple and orange 

of the sun-rays piercing through that body

consumed by desire, turning her gaze

to the bright white moon and, suddenly:

trees turn to jagged lines 

unfinished landscapes crash into one another

mountains loop into a repetition of their form 

shape and structure and function released 

in the release of pleasure

and waves - 

the waves watching her

as they watch all of us in our confusion,

their eyes and tears and body melting into one another

meeting in a gentle embrace

love releasing all of us

until we are no longer afraid

a poem by Francesca Passacantando