True

He saw the goddess on the rocky shore.
Her silver raiment slowly, gently swirling
Like mist, arising from old dreams of home,
She drifted through his window, softly singing.

He found he could not utter any sound.
Her shining eyes had rendered him unmoving
Like deer, in starlight, silent stand their ground.
He held his breath, lest she should find him wanting.

He thought he must be dreaming ere she came.
Her soothing hand, his weary back was stroking,
Like mother, or like lover, all the same.
She kissed his face, his cheeks, his lips inviting.

He followed, floated slowly in her wake,
Her breath, her hands, her body beckoned “come”,
Like moonbeams, glowing softly through the pane.
She gave her skin to him, without expecting.

He doubted her, this ocean goddess, real.
Her desire for him could not be true.
Like winter, he denied her warm appeal.
He closed his eyes, and soon was deeply sleeping.

The goddess rose from bed gone cold and pondered
Her numinous affection, so refused.
Like vapour, she diffused, herself departed.
He breathed her scented passage, never waking.

He stirred that morn’ and found himself alone.
Her memory remained, elusive, drifting
Like reveries, which flicker, then are gone.
He woke, forgetting, fin’lly disbelieving.