A Child's Heart Poem by Peter Black

A child's heart so sweet and full,
Red to the blood and muscles,
Weak to the touch and must
Beat to the thought of love.
And when you see your loved one come,
Feel them move:
Consummated; or locked in a crush,
An unmet tryst; unspoken thrusts,
One must, breathe the air
Settle a spot, hope they are there.
And when you see your loved one come,
Your chest opens, you have no weight,
Nor can you wait for space to join,
Feeling lips, breath, skin;
Hear a holding voice.
The grass is soft, the air is cool
Time is dead and you know no words.

But when you see your loved one go
Time renews and you count your feet;
And when you both never again meet,
For you love is gone:
Your chest hardens and you forget songs,
Grow stone to bone, the feelings are gone,
Only to return as warnings of harm.