“In the Deep, Unsuspecting Dark”

written May 18, 2022

“In the Deep, Unsuspecting Dark”

by Jade Nicole Beals

for May Ziadeh

I cried my tears. 
I cried your tears on your behalf. 
I cried in the places where 
your tears melted and trickled 
towards mine. 
I felt your fears 
and my themes 
passing through me and on...
I looked into your years, and wants, 
and words.
That night, you came to me 
at midnight. I thought you'd been 
holding back a little of your smile 
to not frighten me, stepped back 
and away
after your hands 
swept over my calves,
smiling, but you were aglow, 
despite your own consideration.
In that dark midnight hour,
your smile seeped through the night 
through my closed eyelids, 
despite your own efforts,
like flower-honeyed sea blossoms 
seeping into the warm, 
damp air, into that unsuspecting
darkness of earliest summer, 
later on, steadily intensifying 
as melted honey 
sweetening 
the whole cup, 
tantalizing, 
strawberry-like, too. One night,
I heard you begin 
to sing for me, a little operatically,
but very quietly and gently: my name,
just that one note. I thought, "Are you writing me a song?" 
You laughed warmly 
and said, “That's it..." 
and then 
you sang my name 
again.