We say “take me to the river”
but what the river wants is the body of a stone
the kind of stillness that can be worn.
It runs from its destructive nature
and we run to its healing waters.

What the mouth wants is wetness
a torrent of forgiveness
to baptise flesh with abandon.

We sing of the rivers of Babylon
and on your skin my fingers babble on.
When the choir takes to the pulpit
my eyes flutter into alternate timelines
suspended in anticipation that is timeless
and so we meet again
and so we meet again
and so we meet again.

What the flesh wants is excess,
A spiritual lust that is endless
where the source of every flow is ecstasy.
My eyelids capture every fantasy.
This is how I mean to possess it all.
This is how I mean to possess it all.

Like eyelashes capture dust and filter light
I hold this pleasure up to light
separate finite from finite
teach the body how to swim spiritual
show the soul how to drown physical.

What the heart wants is freedom
to relocate itself on the body
today on my sleeve
tomorrow on the cliff of my clavicle
sprung free by your tongue
which sings “take me to the river”.

***

Link to the Italian translation