Hands

Out by the pier, We waded through seaweed, waist deep, Our feet sinking into the sand. It was there that we found it, Tangling itself, bowing under the water. It pulsed electric blue, shimmered purple And we clasped hands, Drawing closer together to keep from its straying tendrils. A painted wave, frozen in its crest, Hung on the wall high above us, Suspended from crashing down upon us Where we lay below, salty and tangled. Bodies intertwined, fingers laced, We arched into each other. We pulled the blanket up over us, Blocking out the streaks of afternoon light And opened our eyes under the dark, Stinging each other lightly, Electric touches at the tips of our toes. Evening darkened the sidewalk before us As we crested the hill, making our way home. The sun fell, burning over the city, Scorching the sides of the buildings. We trembled on the sidewalk, Our wrists exposed to the bite of autumn As we held hands, knotted tightly against the cold. Scalding cast iron kettle between us, We crouched in pretzels on the rug, Pouring each other tea. We stared up at the room, like fish in a bowl, And the walls shimmered, full of color and art. We raised the tea to our lips and it seared the tips of our tongues, Bittersweet and fragrant. At the end we drank the sandy tea leaves, Swirling shadowy at the bottom of the mug. Staying so long on the rug had charged us; A shock jumped between our fingers, Making our cheeks ruddy and warm. The jellyfish glinted in the murky water, Wafting towards us as we skirted its soft tangles, Brushing against seaweed and crushing Broken shells below us. The sun slipped off our cheeks and sank, Painting the water pink and blue. We turned towards the shore and waded through the gloom, Displacing the jellyfish behind us so that it shivered, Lonely, And drifted after us, Twisting through the water.