Refugium

after A.R. Ammons’ “Love Song”

At dusk, when the light

falls away from your slopes

and the line of your rippled ridge

sharpens against the golden

afterglow from the setting sun,

you with your halo don’t go,

watch over me as I lay upon

your soft treed arms and let

the cooling breeze of night

descend upon me, spent.

I climbed so long to get here,

to reach the ridgeline of your lips,

to fall to my knees in wonder

at all that lies at your feet, vast

in all directions. More than I can

hold in my arms, say with my

tongue, more, I want to stay

on your sturdy shoulders and wait

out the storm sure to come, the one

we have set upon ourselves with

our desire to have, to have, to have.

Let me remain here with you, large

and immoveable rock, mountain,

let you be my whole world.