The night turns on its invisible wheels.
The stars are gone; first sunlight splinters
in the branches of black trees, drips onto

tired earth. And so a shadow falls on us,
on our love. I want to rub, to brush it off.
I want to strike a match, turn on another

light, grow my own sun, a wonderland
where waving wands is all it takes to forge
and reforge bonds, where nothing breaks

forever. Place your hand on my hot cheek
again, breathe life into my eyes, connect
the freckles on my back to spell out: Yes.

Write on my skin: We want. We can. We will.
Let me respond with sighs. Then let's be still.

(First line from Pablo Neruda's Sonnet LXXXI)

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Michaela A. Gabriel

Michaela A. Gabriel lives in Vienna, Austria, where she helps adults acquire computer and English skills, and gets together with the muse as often as possible. She has been published in English, German, Italian, and Polish, both online and in print. Her first chapbook, "apples for adam," was published by FootHills Publishing in January 2005, and she has another chapbook, "the secret meanings of greek letters," forthcoming from Dancing Girl Press in October 2007. When she is not writing, she is reading, listening to music, watching movies, blogging, communicating with friends, playing tennis or travelling – usually several of these at the same time. Her website is ekleipsis, and her blog is between you and me.

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© 2007 Michaela A. Gabriel