chitin plates unfurling
opening to a wellspring of kindness
and i coil around the flower
polishing each plate with
a gentle brush of my fingers carrying with it
the deepest love
and the flower sinks deeper
twirling through the sea, vaulting
gently in reverse
photodependent stalks
stretching thinner and thinner
i follow them into the depths
and the water grows colder
sheltered light holds strong against
the fading of the anchor.

plate-petals weave radial strokes
ebb outward and retreat, almost as if
they sense me
and the flower shines, a plate grows translucent
expecting me to look but my eyes shut closed
press myself against the aquarium glass
eyes transfixed on the past
and you, and you dim your glow
past 700 nanometers
and the water grows warmer
the spiral of feeling imbues in my heart
a most gentle touch of adoration
and my tears begin to fall
and the water grows warmer
darkness takes hold over us
and the anchor fades.

but what was it anyway?
if not a dilution of a feeling, an afterimage
of humanlike non-divinity
the radiance is a lie, after all
those moments collapse into one and
walls are corroded further
stalks extending as far as they can reach
as if to say please
please let me cry with you
let me hold your hand and press it against mine
and your fingers flutter past my face
i'm sorry for staying this way for so long
and we approach the bottom of the sea.

the cradle of the cosmos
holds the flower gently
and the gentle sweeping currents blow
the now-paper-thin petals away
for what can love be if not the opening of a flower
a silent birdsong
a falling grain of sand
and a gentle hum accompanying your voice?
the lost city surrounds us
histories too old to tell
too vast to remember
stay with me, here
my drop of sundew.