the trickle of winter's breath
crept in through a slight crack
in the window pane.

hot buttered rum in a cup of pottery,
scent of a steamy carribean night
rose through the pain
of watching without looking,

slight glance over the edge
of the book i held in front of me,
a literary wall to hide behind
as i glance from the words on the page
to the words mouthed with those
rose tinted lips coining phrases.

such a talented word smythe,
she holds her audience captive,
hanging onto every sight and sound
she paints in the virtual world
that carries her melodies
over sheets of music fluttering
in the wind.

a grin and then a laugh,
hopping over every note
strummed sensuously with those
beautiful hands,
nails gleaming,
strong, long and lean
like her body
cradled in fashion fare,
living photograph
from pages of classic style
with just the right amount
of mischief in her eyes.

i strain to remain
composed and unnoticed
until with a slight glance my way
as she runs her fingers through
her honey blond hair,
the highlights cascading
like the ripples from the water's edge,
she locks in a moment of time
with my eyes
and grins softly, seductively.

she knows that
from the corner of the room
she has an admirer
waiting to be noticed, too.

and turning back to the guests
seated at the bar following her lead,
i am caught in the feeling
that looking into her eyes
does to the very core of my being.

with a deep breath
i swallow what's left of my drink,
close the book and ready myself
for what passing by might bring
as i make my way 'round her,
gently graze her shoulder discreetly,
turn back to see her looking
right into me.

pardon me,
i say politely,
grinning and blushing all the same,
no problem, is the answer
as she eyes me once again,
mind if i sit with you?
sure, they were just leaving, she proclaims
as her guests rise and
walk away.

while i take the seat beside her,
she called the barkeep by name.
she ordered for the both of us.
she offered to pay.
but i took the first 'round,
and then we took turns for
the rest of the day.

'twas such a pleasant meeting,
felt so natural to me,
with this woman i knew so little of
and yet knew in my soul that
something was meant to be.

as we closed out the evening
down a sidewalk lined with
aging oak trees,
she said, we're two of the lucky ones,
and she kissed me with a gentle
passion that took me out at the knees.

so the days have turned into many nights
and carried us over the land and sea
to ports of call and islands
awaiting our discovery,
sailing a vessel of our own making
and charting a course
to fulfill our grand destiny
side by side throughout this lifetime
and whatever the afterlife
happens to bring.