my trembling hands, as my trembling heart
you wooed me to take a leap, as you have leapt to embrace me
that first ray of genuine generosity
from that moment i couldn’t break free
i craved the abundancy of your warmth
like the sun giving me life

and you teased my woos away
a smile for an exchange of pain
you knew how to bandage my wounds
held my voice in esteem as if it was your honour
i never asked for you
to steal my soul

i don’t usually give in but i gave in to you
you unlocked the forgotten beauty in my heart
you tore my mountain of fear, grain by grain
and rebuilt it to the shape of our home
you found me
the i that once was frightened to be

© simon whittle — 2019
from cupid’s lullaby collection

appeared in “two drops of ink”