Apocatastatic Reverie Poem by David Lawrence

A Sestina.

The blank page that is his life awaits the words
that he will write, and which she will set to music.
He dreams that he will one day walk to his love,
but the path is obscured by the dark of an eclipsed moon.
The light, he hopes, will come from her; his soul’s fire,
though now she sits alone drinking a glass of wine.

Her soul, hidden away and saved like vintage wine
so covered by dust that she cannot read the words.
She is not ready when he comes bearing intense fire.
Though separate, each hears the same hopeful music
urging them closer under the rising of a new moon.
Could either of them dare to dream of love?

Almost immediately he starts to fall in love,
content to sit with her and learn to drink wine.
From behind brooding clouds peeks a sliver of moon.
He listens patiently, hoping that she will speak the words
that will unlock his soul, spilling forth loud, loving music
and consuming them both in rejuvenating fire.

Something deep inside, almost extinguished, catches fire.
An infinitesimal spark; fuelled by his love.
She dances around a raging flame, deafened by this new music.
Staggering and heady like too much good wine,
she collapses on the grass, shouting the words
as the world starts spinning around a yellow half moon.

Together they sit and watch the waxing moon
surrounded by tiny flickering fire.
Together they find the courage to say the words
to each other; That they are madly in love.
“Let us toast, ” she says, lifting up her wine,
“to the eternal making of beautiful music.”

They walk down the aisle to traditional music.
Above, though daylight, brightly awaits a nearly full moon
as below, friends and family cheer with sparkling wine.
Never again two lone embers, they join to become one fire
which will burn forever as more intense grows their love.
All that is left to do is to speak two words.

Shall we drink red wine and lose ourselves in music?
And speak no words under the full moon
as we bask in the fire of undying love?

(Christmas 2009)