Your Universe
By Gary Farrell
 
Invited by a gesture, a word, a look,
I venture into your space
to journey through your universe.

I kiss your hand, your neck, your throat,
your lips where I linger
while surrounding you gently with an embrace.

I then withdraw, reluctant, no longer a voyager
but an alien once more,
though heartened by an invitation to return
when next we meet.

Parting
By Gary Farrell

Like Troilus and Cressida, Rick and Ilsa,
we see a sailing ship float upon the tide
with one of us aboard.
The other remains on the pier, smiling, waving,
until the ship is swallowed by the horizon.
Then, he or she turns away
and goes on alone.

I write a poem
By Gary Farrell

I write a poem because I cannot touch you.
I cannot hold you or by you be embraced.
The lines of your body I cannot trace,
Your cheek, your shoulders, your arms.

I write a poem because I cannot kiss you.
I cannot touch your smile and feel your breath.
My lips cannot caress your hair,
Your ear, your neck, your breasts.

I write a poem because I cannot smell your aroma
I cannot taste your flavor, I cannot hear your voice.
You are away from me until I know not when.
I write a poem, but it cannot fill the void.

Editor's Note: I originally thought that all three poems below were one piece and wrote to Gary to accept the "one" poem "Your Universe" he had sent us. Then, upon doing layout for this issue, I realized that there were three titles and three separate pieces here! I can't separate them because I felt a connection to them as a whole -- so here they are, all three, one right after the other. They are a "whole" for me -- read as if there are no breaks of titles inbetween and see if you can see what I mean :)