Our Secret Place

Our Secret Place

The air is soft and warm within,
And balmy is the night
Within this secret garden of ours,
Where I stand, cloaked in white.

The birds of paradise splay their colors
And the irises nod their dew-laden heads,
As the calla lilies rise high and majestic
Glowing in the first touches of moonlight.

I stand before a shallow pond,
Where water falls from the mouths of stone men,
Trickling from granite-lipped basins,
And splashing the lotus and crocus below.

The water catches upon soft pink petals,
Beading to form pearly dewdrops
Akin to those that have caught in my hair
As I stand beneath the willow tree.

Come now, my love, closer to me,
For this parterre is long forgotten.
And though its beauty flourishes,
Within these gates we remain alone.

Here, the star-of-Bethlehem winks its white head,
Loveliness hiding its toxic kiss.
Nearby, the narcissus gazes over the pool
Its reflection dancing upon the water.

A gentle breeze stirs my hair,
Toying with the damask of my skirts.
Slowly, tenderly, I take your hand,
And raise it to receive my kiss.

Here within this secret garden
We'll let the cares of the world fall away,
And leave us to a most perfect bliss
In which, like the flowers, our love can flourish.

Forever here we may remain,
Together we'll make our own nirvana-
Here where the air is thick and warm,
And the lady-slippers nod their dewy heads.