a dark forest
a dark forest
you — on one side
i — on the other
we made contact
once
twice
but it is forgotten now
we who had a language of our own
are but garbled noise to each other
supposed-predators crouched on different sides
of the darkness
jumping at the snap of a twig
we should be on a ship
sailing in uncharted waters
you at the helm
me in the galley
cooking and trying to keep the dog and cat hair out of our food
unless i’m wandering around above board
admiring your legs and back
strong against a stormy sky
we never did set sail
we set up guerrilla encampments on either side
of a dark forest
where any sound is a danger
and any love is suspect
a fermi paradox of a soul mate
love is certain
but there is no evidence
a great silence now
a shitty and blind 24-year-old then
is its own proof
isn’t it
and if we did make radio contact
one day
would we need an “Arrival”-level translator
or could we just talk
love sitting silent
but finally aware
with no goddamn dark forest of suspicion in the way
there is intelligent life in the universe
why isn’t it us?
