Title art by Maren Klemp

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Tori Amos “Winter (Instrumental)”

Whenever you know, you just know
And we knew the very second that the universe revealed one to the other
Love had long surrendered its appeal
As both of us appeared to have forgotten how to feel it
It wasn’t that we believed any less
More that companionship appeared the very best that we could hope for
Falling hard leaves tracks and scars when ailing heart is all you have to show for it
Wherever the point of return was
It seemed to have long since passed
And comes a time when one accepts forever love was never meant to last

The theory was certainly elementary enough
Meet the right person
Fall headlong in love
The rules of engagement couldn’t be clearer
Meet, greet and proceed to agree on the customary terms of endearment
Alas, love is often stigmatized as last resort for the destitute
Exercise in damage limitation
Fools gold for the less astute
Requires both parties time and dedication to a cause which could well endorse our final death salute
Suicide ain’t just for blondes
With the longest shots boasting identical odds

Leaps of faith can go one of two ways
No guarantee we would land on our feet if we took this plunge together
But for all the risk involved
There was great strength in our resolve that they actually never fail, ever
Without this resolute belief, this dangerous liaison would be woefully brief
However, sometimes in life you have to grit your teeth
And engage in desperate measures
No need to do the usual math or calculate the margin of error
Just believe both our eyes
Trust both of our guts
And follow our souls bold directions to the very letter

Having been tested to epic proportions
All it would take to reinstate our grazed faith was one well-earned reversal of fortune
They say to play things cagey and while this may apply to backstreet abortions
There were no daggers beneath our cloaks and our approach was bereft of caution
Of course, there was vague apprehension
As our fates were in the hands of divine intervention
If we were going to do this
Then we would damn well go in blind
It was either that or resign to the fact that our heartfelt plea would be invariably declined

Not this time

You see, there was no being left in suspense here
No intense fear of rejection
As the trail of incertitude came to an end having challenged its senseless suggestion
Our eyes met across the Rivers of Grue with immaculate perception
As staring right back at both of us was a Crystalline reflection
Could it be two likenesses shared dual design in twine?
No fitting in as we existed within the same lines

Sporting a love which transcends mere affection
Courtship some way beyond mortal comprehension
Deferring retention to favor release of sheer Zen
Connection attaching two natural stems in the purest affectionate sense
Certain things are meant to be
No need to pretend to be
No unexpected blow outs and even if there were
Then a spare comes complimentary
When two who leap with faith become a single flaming entity

Richard Charles Stevens

Keeper of The Crimson Quill

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