Sweet Release by Diane Dehler

Sweet Release

I follow a leopard
up steep cliffs and
breath escapes; oh
pain of a stolen rib.
I enter a territory
high in the mountains
of Kathmandu
where I have known
a thousand nights &
eyes of surrender; a
sweet release.

A moment of spirit;
a body gives itself
away and returns.
I know the tired
anguish of a long
journey that never
ceases. Or a lover
that never comes, a
mated century of
doves roast on
oracle fire.

Leopard, I follow
you into a craggy
mountain terrain
where the gentle
hours give way to
a kohl lined night
of predatory love.
You are hungry for
bare flesh and a
most delicious
entry into spirit.


In burning fire
love comes to me
with speed; sinking
teeth of a leopard.
Eat my flesh and
consume my heart.
Blind my eyes with
smoke of centuries
of altars. Carry my
bones around your
smooth neck, my love.

Kiss the sacrifice,
inhale a multiplicity
of rosettes.

In a sea of white anemones and Leopard...

Poems by Diane Dehler

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Diane Dehler is an American poet known for her

postmodern lyricism who has been nominated

for a Pushcart Award 2014. 

In a sea of white anemones

I was swimming in a sea
of white anemones,

Whose ivory foam surrounded
me with the tenderness-
gentle hours of a lover.

The frothing ivory interior
of the flower was a white eye.

A perception from which
arose Aphrodite awakening
from the perfume of Alegria.

Leopard

rises straight high
a spirit wind, winged
beast awakened
instinct.

Poised on a cliff’s
steep jutting edge
with sharp claws
as pink as dawn.

Embodied writing, the
pale of me and your
molten leopard flesh.
Hot breath of all desire
splattered with pattern

Of wild rosettes.
A stealthy approach
sly leopard licks salt
of my flesh, feeding

On my sheer wild
nakedness — bleeding
creation all over me.
Solitude of a leopard
joins passion.

http://munyori.org/poems-by-diane-dehler/