where edges meet

around and around and around
i circle the pool deck
forced to this circuit by inability
and fear
and incompetence
and i know: i cannot enter
so i watch

around and around and around
you circle the pool
reveling in green-deep coolness
sliding glass shield from too-ardent sun
and i watch
because you are happy,
and beautiful

beautiful
is not a word for boys
but you,
you are beauty

you are water on skin
soft wet glow of porcelain
you are hair trailing on the surface
sooty damp feathers clinging to delicate angles
you are beauty, but

you are ocean boy,
and i am desert girl

wide stretches of roiling water and storm
crushing depths unknown (unreachable?)
are different from
rolling, crackle-dry heat of finely grounded rocks
rising, falling, breathing sand dunes

ocean boy, and desert girl
but i know:

ocean water, if even only droplets
make their way to desert soil
and mingle together
where life-vibrant flowers bloom

---

a/n: The "desert boy, ocean girl" comparisons are from Deb Caletti's The Nature of Jade (reeaaaaad it, it is good). Also, thanks a lot, Fictionpress, for messing up all my formatting and making me fix it. Thanks a lot (not.)