One Single Impression: Defenses Down

A flower opens itself
As a woman opens to her lover--
All defenses down,
He said.

Such requisite vulnerability...
Is a ridiculous idea,
I thought,
And I sought to run down
The metaphor:
What lover?
I asked.
The sun that feeds her?
The bee that claims her nectar?
The air that carries away
Every other possibility of new life
From deep within the flower?

Well, yes,
He said.
The earth is her lover.

But
It takes everything from her,
I said.

And then he whispered:
And she lives forever
Everywhere
For that lover
Who is she,
Too.
She doesn't
Know the difference,

Never pushes him away.

And I was quiet.