Love Poem: sun
Ryan Lyman Avatar
Written by: Ryan Lyman

sun

i once heard
of the one
who swallowed the sun

they spoke of it
like it was something bad
something to be feared
yet somehow 
something revered
a two-sided coin
a double-edged sword

and so i feared people
who shone so bright
the sun must have lived in their lungs
who had an aura
made of plasma 

i ran away 
from boys so radiant
they hurt my eyes

i ran away 
from girls so aglow
the sky turned yellow
around them 

i ran away 
until it was just me

alone 
in the dark

and then i met her
and i was blinded
by a light so blazing
i would have been foolish
to continue to look her way 

but i could not tear my eyes
off her shining skin 
fiery cheeks
skin so warm 
proof of the life within her
proof of the sun within her

and so i stayed
i touched her skin to mine
let her warm my flesh 
allowed her in 

my mind told me to run 
my heart told me to stay 

and so i opened
the space in my chest
so long vacant
cobwebs had formed

i let her in 
let her touch me
as i had not been touched in years

a void
a part of me missing
i had not even realized

she made a home
behind my sternum
between my lungs
in every liter of my blood

and i like to think 
as i lay beside her at night
that my body 
is warmer
than it was
when i met her