THE HORRID FOREST

you get to know me

unconditionally

by chasing me

through the horrid forest

we know it is horrid

because it is

guarded by a puma

without head legs or tail

and to enter or depart

you must crawl

through one

of the pumas

three great orifices

here you fire beating

hearts at

my back as I run

between the savage trees

you call this falling

in love

throwing beating

hearts at me the hearts

pouring through me without delay

and when I look back at you

your hands aren’t actually

throwing heartbeats

as much as they are

heartbeats pouring

through you

and we’re not as much

playing a game

called magical dangers

as we are hovering over our bodies

listening to each other’s

hearts beat the sound

of a parade in the distance

drawing closer

with each and every breath