The setting sun sends

its last lingering rays

on everything in its path –

trees

                squirrels

                                me

                                                you.

The forest floor is filled with

speckles

freckles of light and darkness

and your smile radiates heat

as if you were the sun itself

and I an old, distant star

falling into myself as a black

h o l e.

You run around with a

bounce of happiness

of summer and spring

in your step

and the escaping squirrel has no

chance against you, right?

You leave a trail of

darkness, of a void of light

behind me

and illuminate the contours of my face instead.

Your light can only encompass

one                        half

of me at any point

and as they say

you are who you are in the dark

when nobody is watching.