i have written your words on my skin
to hold while i learn to speak you.
shaped my tongue and breath around names
that ache with the smell of you,
murmured exhaled ripples
along my palate
across your pebble bed back
to the edge of sandy places
where your forest being
crowds the shore.
i have written what the birds sing
and the shape of morning leaves
in letters and ink on my skin
to hold them close
until i learn
to speak you.
November 2015
Re-visiting an older poem for Sherry at Earthweal’s weekly challenge: SAY THE NAMES
https://earthweal.com/2021/09/27/earthweal-weekly-challenge-say-the-names/
fresh poetry 
There is landscape and there is place, the spot on the heart’s map that says you are Here. It takes this language to name that place — its own. Where I and Thou are one. Lovely, lovely poem.
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Heart’s map – I like that. Thanks.
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Some places need no words. (K)
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Only our silence.
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This is so incredibly lovely, Lindi. Wow. Thank you so much for sharing it. I especially love the idea of learning to speak the language of a place. I especially love the closing lines. Just gorgeous!
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Thank you Sherry. Lovely prompt too.
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This is heart-achingly beautiful, Lindi!
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Thank you Ingrid.
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“that ache with the smell of you,
murmured exhaled ripples
along my palate
across your pebble bed back
to the edge of sandy places”
Love the sound of this ….all those L’s and P’s!!
JIM
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Thank you Jim.
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I love this poem. It has a really magical feel to it – like an incantation or a spell.
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Thank you Suzanne. I wrote it down at the river in summer – a deeply.magical place. (the one in the photo)
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