Evanescence

She stands in the kitchen when I arrive, her back to the world.
Her frame is elegant and she toils quietly…
as though a grooming leopard in a large tree.

Afternoon rays flow through the squinting blinds and set her aglow.
I’m drawn to her…she senses my presence and I notice her shoulders relax.
I hold her close, an embrace that never seems long enough.
She purrs softly as our bodies melt into one another.

I smile, slowly imbibing her scent: natural, sensual, with a hint of uncertainty.
Her skin feels warm like a smooth pebble basking in the sun.

Her hair is soft upon my cheek. The fine, curly hairs
that freed themselves from behind her ear tickle my nose,
and sway under my exhale like dandelions in the wind.

My heart beats steadily beneath a cage of sinew and bone,
but she does not know it wishes to erupt.
I tighten my squeeze as if to unite our forms,
hoping that she is comforted in this moment.

I wonder if my arms can shield and protect her like the jungle's canopy.

Before I can decide, I notice her perch is empty...

I catch but a glimpse of her tail, as she retreats into the shadows.