Illusion As Cure Poem by RIC BASTASA

what i saw was an illusion
of love, my thighs are cold
longing for
a temporary sun
that can give it heat
for a while
and survive this

loneliness of the flesh
that thwarts what is real
this

longing that forever detaches
me from
what i could have been

a calm pond
a determined river
a still tree
a star unmoved by the wind
and shining
in the depths of unfathomable darkness

there is always a way to dislodge
what poisons my being
and this is where the illusion of images come
and i embrace them
make love to each color and scent
sway with its form
and obey the commands of those curves
and softness

it is only momentary
when i am lost
takes a very shallow moment
when i am in
a trance

i come back again
to the touch of my own hands
like waking up and
looking around the room
feeling anew to the colors and thickness of the drapes
the softness of the green carpet
where i lay
my exhausted body

it is nighttime still when i open the window
the city lights glow
i am speaking silently
to the mouth of my body