love

    you    who brings strangers against
     close tight breathless skin grasping heat

    you     who brings men to blows
     knives in backs poisoned drink and ill-met duels

    you      who brings tears to eyes
       bleeding wrenching   inside      a void

    you       who brings the mighty to fall
     blinded eyes open mouths words cutting deep and swords fallen from numb hands

    you
                who carries us great men and cities foundations on words and oaths

    you
                     I met you once
                              for a night
               under a cloak of starlit violet

                              but for that night
                                   how bright and sweet you shine