it's so trite to say
one's breaths are
taken away, over
and again in love

people 
forego 
dessert
when in love,
forget
to sleep
perchance
to awaken 
from the dream

to kiss or to be kissed, 
lips self-reference,
lusciously grope

every point
on the face 
is alive, expectant,
a lash on a cheek,
a whisper on a brow,
a sigh along a neckline

palm to palm,
temple to temple,
ashes to ashes

cc: Chagall 2021