I’ve swum in

the tumultuous waters

of despair –

with my head below

the covering waters

and my hands

clutching at straws

I’ve walked

through the burning

sands of

the Desert of No Love

with no water

and survived

The vultures of loss

calling above my

love-burnt face

A man in the desert

found me

and put a champagne flute

of the freshest water

to my parched lips

But alas, I could not

take a drink

from that crystal vessel

As I lay in quiet sadness

the hungry feathers

of the winged beasts

clattered over me

Still gasping to hold onto

an existence

a man with no water

shadowed my stricken body –

what he saw

drew tears from his already

shrunken form

His heartfelt tears

melted away

the dryness and

the desert became

lush and green

so I could be sheltered

safe in the depth of

his protected forest

forever…

© Kait King, 2015