My Tahitian Princess

Last night I lay captured
in the body of a Tahitian ice princess
Midnight ink etched in woven patterns
over her golden terracotta skin
Jagged crown of petals and thorn
Wearing a necklace of icicles as sharp as teeth
Heart wide open

Drifting back to sleep
under the mosquito net
in a four post bed
counting the shadows
cast over the flax-woven roof
I dreamt of you

In my dream
I step outside onto diamond black sand
and wade into the sea, fully dressed
Skirt floating over scorched seaweed
and moonlight water, black with ice

I’m hoping to capture your attention
so cast a net of words,
tangled in a string of black pearls
wide and deep across the ocean tide

I reel you in
and leave the beach

Hoping you’ll follow

I enter a church the colour of peaches
Windows framed with blue cacao
and burnt mango paint over peeling grey concrete
Tonight I’m the thief that stole
the pastor’s velvet cloak
lined with sea-diamonds
and crystal-lace trim

You watch from the side of the road

I pray to Jesus
(just because he happens to be there)
I don’t think he’s listening

Further away on the grass
In the dark
I’m lying down
Squinting up at those fucking coconuts
Bring it, coconut
I’ll get knocked out

I get up, wrap myself in the cloak, adorn the pearls, and leave

You follow

My Tahitian ice princess melts
Tilted and dripping with ink
Pushed deep into the black sand
Shrinking into dark blue puddles

I lie flat on the shells, holding your hand
Waves break into black icicle sticks
piercing my eyes
now streaming with tears of midnight ink

Blue salt crystals dissolve on my tongue
fresh with the taste of new possibilities.