A thought

Hung suspended on her lips

More than an idea

Deeper than a feeling

Whatever it was, it was frozen

Stillborn on her quivering mouth

Bleeding out through her eyes

I could see it straining to be free

Frantic wings beating

Against her heart of hearts

On the brink of creation

And infinite possibility

 

I could see her frustration,

Bordering on pain,

As she struggled to tear it out

Set it free

Without leaving its essence behind

I think I caught only an inkling

Of just how immense

This nameless something was

Deeper and wider than the ocean

In just the passing of a casual moment

And only a hint

Of her need

The need to pour out the infinite

Within her, to the world

To me.

 

And then, she expressed

I can’t say how

She merely opened her mouth

And it all flew out

There may have been words,

In a thousand languages

There might have been sobs

Or laughter, or sighs

I’m sure I heard music

A thousand notes

Weaving together like a river

Deep and varied

I couldn’t make out

Every story they told me

 

She lifted her hands

And expressed what she saw

I can’t describe

How the whole world seemed

To rest in her palms,

Yet leap from them

Exploding in the air

Jubilant, calm, passionate, mysterious

I seem to recall whole libraries of books

That spoke from her hands

Her particular meaning

Etched in each page

Every motion of her fingers

Both larger and smaller than it appeared

Telling, telling, telling

To the rhythm of her pulse

In her wrist

 

And she expressed

All in a moment

Everything she had to express,

Wanted to say

Tell

Show

Convey

And for only one instant,

I understood who she was

And how every thought felt

Hovering on her lips

Beaming from her eyes

Every inspiration absolutely limitless

 

When she stopped, she caught her breath

And looked at me, waiting

To see if I’d caught her soul

When she threw it to me

Or if the moment was lost, wasted

A stretch of nothing in eternity

 

I couldn’t express, like she could

That moment takes a lifetime and more

So I just said

Three tiny words

Three nothings,

That nonetheless carried my everything

And she, in return,

Expressed.