We Swam Through The Miles

We swam through the miles of back-lit stars Hanging like pale gemstones above black velvet, The inlet dropping warm saliva from the seas Upon our valiantly upturned faces. You passed through all my slow wheeling dreams, A spent wave of once-occult feelings, Though a moon still comes now and then To rebuke me with its petulant gaze. All that was new and carefully folded; Never opened, in our love blind patience Stirs now, like a wounded bird in shadow; Because we never tested our wings. The ocean spread itself bravely, shore to shore But we remained earthbound; Afraid we could not withstand two weathers; Afraid we would lose sight of future landings. The stars overhead signed their names off in frost, But our compass was already submerged; As East and West were plundered like twin wrecks, We sailed off the sides of the map, into our own icy Sargasso.