Scorpio In Love
...And, she embraced the scorpion, deep, into her bosom. Believing that her heart was guarded enough to withstand his sting. Trusting that her love was strong enough to protect her from his poison. But, his kiss was sweet, like the flavor of pina colada snow cones on a hot Thursday, afternoon. His lips were laced with love songs. Sang, slightly off key, but, sweetly... Sincerely. He filled her heart with pink letters, decorated with burgundy flowers and tender poetry written in red ink. Leading her to sunset rendezvous', in a field of wildflowers; Where fireflies, still, dance beneath the crescent moon. Where the shooting stars are bright and racing.
...And, I fell, so deeply, in love. But, secretly, concealed the fullness of my emotion - Afraid! Believing that, through my confession, I would release my heart from its prison of safety. Allowing myself to experience the full ravages of love: The unconditional trust, the joy, the compassion, the companionship; as well as, the betrayals, the sorrows, and the tears.
We make love. Discretely, I taste the, sweet, tenderness of her passion. Sweetly, I kiss her lips and her neck and her shoulders... Excited by her, every, touch, I feel every groan, and memorize every sensation. I followed the voice of her passion and reclined in my, black, leather easy chair, as she leaned, back, into my embrace. And, then, she opens herself, to me, completely... To my anticipating caress... Arches her back, and begins to rock, slowly, deeply, back and forth, until I can feel our souls, touching, erupting, releasing the hot, fertile, flowing, river of our love made perfect. I am enraptured, completely, by her embrace.
I lay awake, in the moments, after. Looking at her sleep. Loving her. I wrap the, black, sheets over her shoulders, and pull the hair from around her face and, gently, tuck them behind her ear. I wonder if, while she is dreaming, she can hear my heart whispering, "I love you!"
"Phoenix," she awakes calling my name. I reply, "I'm right here. Are you all right?! She is silent for a moment, then stretches, deeply, and with a, subtle, growl in her voice she says, "Oh, baby! I was dreaming, so hard. I thought you said something." "Wow," I thought to myself, but answered, "No, I didn't say a word." Then, she began to stretch, again, and turned to look at me face to face. "My God," I whisper to myself. She is so beautiful. Her chin... Her lips... The way her eyes glisten beneath the flickering candle light. She freezes my heart in time. "What are you doing up?" She says. I reply, "I am watching over you!" And, she smiles. "Where did I fine brotha' like you get the name Phoenix?" "Do you, really, want to know," I ask? "I sure do," she answers. "Do you remember when I told you about my great grandmother and how she, still, practiced the old tribal ways of the Cherokee nation. Well, one of the traditions was to name a baby after the first thing you saw after they are born. On the night that I was born, there was a large thunder storm. My Momma Lula was sleeping, and had a powerful dream... A vision. She saw a child being born. Who, from his mothers womb, stood up right, like a man. His arms and back were covered with, fine, golden hairs that glowed like embers dancing over an open fire. She said his eyes looked like they had seen eternity. Anyway, the story goes, in her vision, the walls faded away, and she watched as the child stood amidst the people of a great city. A woman walked by him and he could feel her pain. Immediately, the child touched her and virtue left from his body and joy entered into her heart. There way a man who was plagued by voices in his mind. The boy whispered into the mans ear and the storm was made quiet. A mother brought her child before him. He smiled and kissed the baby on his eyelids and the child awake from a sleeping sickness. Then, the city fades away, and is replaced by a great mountain, to the East, and a deep valley, to the West. And, surrounding the boy, who had by this time grown into a man, were the masses from the far places of the world. With them, they also brought, anger, and deceit... Malice, and jealousy. With each touch they began to steal his virtue. He struggle, but, could not prevail against the inevitable. The multitudes consumed him. Seeking to devour his virtue and his life. Suddenly, the story continues, an explosion of heat pushed the crowds back and where he stood a circle was seered into the ground. With tears, thick and heavy, like blood, pouring from his eyes, his body became hot. He ignited into flames and was transformed into a mighty bird of fire, and flew into the fading colors of the setting sun. "Cool, huh?" Anyway, suddenly, my great grandmother was awaken by the telephone ringing. It was my uncle, telling her that I was born. And, that's how I got my mane." "Damn" she replies, in awe! "That's deep, for real!" Well, when we have children we are not going through all of that. I think our daughter should be named after my mother."
"Question," her lips ask, as steel butterflies, suddenly, awake in my stomach. "Have you ever been in love?" That's when the butterflies welled up in my chest. I hesitate to answer. "Come on!" She continues. "The power is in the question. You said if I asked you anything, you would tell me the truth!" My body began to blush, as I swallowed, deeply, and answered, "Yes!!!" She was silent. But, her eyes were searching mine for more. Then, she laughed and said, "A Scorpio in love?! Who do you think you are kidding?" She continued to mock my answer as she asked who, and when, and where, and, "I thought scorpions were not capable of love!" She laughed. "So?" She says, "Who was she?" I looked into her eyes as the steel butterflies raced inside my chest, angrily, and listened to the words, slowly, escape from my lips, shuddering, "I Am In Love With You!!!"
To Be Continued...
As Ever,
Charles E. Coleman III
ThePoeTreeOfLife1994
Ultimately it is my goal to one day meet Jesus Christ, Faith to Faith, with a smile on His face! Other than that a dream round table discussion would include Stevie Wonder, Thurgood Marshall, Thomas Blackshear, Martin(MLK), Malcom(X), Tupac, and Langston Hughes... Have you read 'The Negro and The Racial Mountain'?"...We younger negro artists who create now intend to express our individual dark-skinned selves. If white people are pleased we are glad. If they are not, it doesn't matter. We know we are beautiful. And ugly too. The tom-tom cries and the tom-tom laughs. If colored people are pleased then we are glad. If they are not, there displeasure doesn't matter either. We build our temples for tomorrow, as strong as we know how and we stand on top of the mountain free within ourselves!"