Confidences — Talk of the Heart

Talk of the Heart

From the window the moon turned toward me, in my sleeplessness, one night.
God!! When did it come to such fullness? such health?
The moon reminded me of you! a confident youth and a radiant countenance—
only, it is the color of jasmine, and you the color of delicious coffee!

The moon turned toward me, flashed a comrade's tenderness... a flood of goodness,
and there came to my mind, out of your nature, an open hand and a giving love;
and in an instant it lifted its burden from my breast,
and my bleeding wounds turned to healing!

From my window the moon looks in on me, as though I had a tryst with it.
It spreads through my room an air of pure, abiding affection,
and I find myself near in my farness, happy in my longing;
I pour out to it my burning confidences, and it receives them with a flood...
a great heart, all of it!!

How our moon resembles you—O faithful beloved!
Every night I wait for it,
I take shelter in its arms.
And in your memory, with it, I live!

Aphrodite
December 25, 1954