Just Once More

Her quickening breath
brushes my cheek
and I breathe her in
from her inner self
deep into mine
Her head finds again
its long-surrendered place
cradled in my neck
Her shining sweet-breathed hair
cushions my lips
and the changeless smell of her
suffuses my sense
Memory languidly uncoils
opening its heart-ached arms
to the returning gift of her
Her cheek burrows deeper
into the safeness of me
A sigh escapes her doubts
whispering I am home I am home
at last
Each part of us
embraces its intended mate
In long-cold ash-grey embers
rekindled warmth stirs
a once consuming fire
and sparks fly within
the smoketrails of remembrance
Her life-worn hands
gather me further into her
As she raises
doubt-surrendered eyes to mine
all thought reserve and guilty fear
fall away
Here now we are we must
we shall…. be one