Paper Lantern - Joe Ricotta Poem by Joe Ricotta

on a night like this when vigil stars gather
brilliantly in glint lustrous sky—thoughts
of you explode in many marigolds—
my heart is like a parchment paper that i
have been saving for an ebb-crossing night.

i caressily fold the sheet—pulling edges
together until the volume cylinder expands,
as if its chamber is breathing and beating.
i run my fingers on a thin wire, before
bending the strip into a wide looping ring
for the base—reserving a spot for you,
where i can cuff onto your candling heart.

all at once, mirages of a nightly glow
empty into the dark endless abyss, as eyes
sparkle gently with encouragement for me
to release my heart along with the rest.

heaven gazes soon with a wink of the sun—
and at long last, your heart becomes
the flame that carries my heart to the sky.