Affection, Afflicted Giza

The tomb floats with
particulates, and dust,
and the light shines
only as shards
through tears.

The fine-silk bandages
wrap her tightly,
so tightly,
though the dust coats
her esophagus with
every sameless, mechanical
gust.

Her chest heaves
as breasts
sheathed with time -
centuries of lonesome
and silence.

He discovers me,
surrounded with treasure -
bleeding with colors,
he ignores them.
He comes to me.

His hands that are weakened by
life and the sun carress
the sarcophagus with love, and
the finality of an exhaustive journey.

Her fingers reach for his hand and they
crumble.

He feels her close.

He heaves the lid off and over the side,
the sound of his breathing cuts the air
as it stops.


She lays there, swathed with linen, and my
knees buckle and my mouth is dry.
My fingers trace her arm ever-so gently
all the way to her cheek.

Her eyes shine brilliantly-
green in contrast with her wrappings.

"I've journeyed so long, I am no longer the
young man you once knew."

She is still, and silent.

Tears pierced his vision
and she was enclosed by the sea.