Melissa

When the world seems to get too cold
I regard myself as lucky
to have some warmth
that I brought back from the South Pacific
scorched deep into my soul
those flames are there to warm me when the chills of life
catch up with me
and they are never too far gone
even though I probably sailed too far upon the endless blue sea
I find them easy to dream back
to have the comfortable burning pleasure
of recalling those beautiful times of long ago

I feel the boats sway beneath my feet
the rhythmic thumping of smoking diesel engines
taste crystalized salt upon my lips
feel the bright sky bite deep into the bridge of my nose
and when the memories become real lovely
I close my eyes until I hear my own heartbeat
and see Melissa…

…sitting there on the white beach of Erakor Island
her toes buried deep into the crispy sand
she is beautiful
her wild brown curls dance with the Banyan trees
the ends and tails explode in sex
she smells like coconut cream
she knows I want to make love to her
but she also knows I’m wasted flesh
“I’d like to pour you booze,” she says
give you love,
sex up your night
but you’re a hell burned dove”
she knows me better than the sea
and I know I’ll never get to be as lucky as this setting sun
shining low in my eyes
whose warm tongue licks the silver lines
of sweat off her skin

but I don’t mind
sitting here right next to her waiting for the night
is more than good enough for me
more than what I ask for
it kills the typhoons of loneliness storming across my brain

so, she smiles and lets me watch the small tattoo upon her left breast
rise and move with the rhythm of her breath
three small burning flames, yellow, red and blue
the fire of her caring spirit
wild and free

she burns that small fire
on her chest
to put broken life back together again
inked on the other side of the world
in a swaying Polynesian ocean hue
burning on her skin
across the warmth of her heart
and I know this lady knows nothing else besides
doing good
and being free

yet, in her freedom she kills my wonder lust
she’s got me going nowhere soon
got me waiting with her for the coming night
smiles like she knows I'm doomed to her presence 
I’d like to believe that she sends
those most beautiful sunset smiles especially for me
but I just fool myself along the line
she’s in love with the orange sky
and calls the tired sun through her brown eyes

but it’s good sitting here next to her in my daydream
listening to her friendly voice
hearing the slow tide coming in
feeling the weary world moan
and I sit like that beside her letting the day just slip away
watching her eat into the last purple ray
biting deep into the flaming clouds

and when it gets dark
she says I shouldn’t go because she likes it here
with me
sipping drinks under the Southern stars
she owns the Milky Way
and the volcanic moon’s juice drips
off her lips
now that is something I never tasted before
but it moves me to listen to her words
stirring with the dark and gentle waves

my mind travels far
and I hear her say words which are different and good
“You know tomorrow morning…
…we’ll both be gone,” she says
putting her hands in mine
I dream that it possibly could end differently

“You’ll forget me,” she says again
“but if I don’t make love to you…
…you will remember me…”

and she takes me
and lets me rest my head again her breasts
folding her arms and hands around my shoulders and head
pressing me down until my cheek touches gently
against those three ocean burning flames
which puts broken life back together again
tattooed on her chest

I am lost
against her flesh
her womanhood comes peacefully to me
and I feel a gentle side of life and tender renewal
in those three burning flames
that heals the scars along the edges of my soul
and I know this is the only place I ever wanted to go

“…this way,” she says again
knowing I feel those small flames burn against my skin
“…if the world ever gets too frozen for you…
remember me
like this
and kindle my fire
right here
to warm it”

and she was right
all along…

Conrad Kruger van den Bergh (Copyright, 2016)