Crystal Lake

That weekend in the Angeles
Before trees burnt into renditions of serpents
Or the snakes of medusa’s hair
Having writhed to their own melody
Were frozen by a stare

Before Apollo’s eyes burned too fierce
Casting fire down the ridge and back
Before beauty lie forgotten
Blanketed in ashes
We washed our hands in crystal
Lake
Then threw in our bodies
Until secretly, my lover held me
As you were the only beating heart but mine
Bounding away, across the waters

I don’t know what
I felt beneath my treading feet
Aside from
Bliss in waters murky.
Secrets slid between my toes.

That fish that scared you
You swore it had teeth
Housing bare gums
It was only mocking
Your own hunger

I closed my eyes
I fell under
Ripples spread, then stilled
Above me
You screamed and
Swore you loved me
“I thought you were drowning!”
I thought so, too

You couldn’t see:
The phoenix long left me
The wind snuffed out my last dying ember
I needed it to fill me
I needed to feel me

For I was empty that weekend in the Angeles
To you, beauty already lie forgotten
Blanketed in ashes
So I cast myself down the ridge
And never came back