the lovers
arrived separately
he was there
in anticipation of her arrival
not having seen her today

drink in hand at the large gathering
he converses quietly with a
long time friend
when she enters
at first he does not notice
but when she has caught his eye
the world stops
conversations stop
even his friend stops mid-sentence
all eyes on her

When the world starts again around him
he is still mesmerized
and his longtime friend smiles
at some secret knowledge
held within eyes that would hunger so

How did I get so lucky?
he thinks to himself
as if anticipating such a question
her eyes look straight to him
not bothering to survey
the room that stopped for her
and a jolt of lightning
ignites the butterflies
just as they did so many years ago
in a room just like this
by the very same eyes
when she tucked her hair behind her ear
to reveal a neck he would later
map so very well
and glanced up straight at him
and started the very same storm
He can almost see a knowing smile
cross her lips
as if she knows exactly what
magic her eyes have cast upon him

She begins to survey this place
and circles the room
making to rounds among friends
spreading sunshine with her infectious laugh
brightening the room
he is almost envious
having waited this long just to see her
having had the lightning settle
into a dull ache of longing

He is called away
into another room
connection broken but never the bond
and he almost forgets about that ache
when he suddenly finds himself
face to face with her
and it is her face that lights up
and he is frozen again
hypnotized by those eyes

06.03.01