Love as an Umbrella

You can stand under this umbrella,

This canopy called Love,

And offer shelter to the one you love,

But some days it won’t rain,

The sky will be love and you
Will only feel the shade’s shivers gale about you,

She’ll walk north; love-hungry, glued,

Her goodbye loyal to you and for a while

You’ll wait and wonder;
clammy; balmed in over-love, 

And if the rain should thunder,

And your hands lacklustre, lack the swiftness

To pull the lover’s hood,

Will you stand close together?

Will you warm the wishing blood?

Drown in a kiss, maybe?

Some days too the wind will tantrum,

Wind will always, always tantrum,

On those days; move,

Panther

Through the sky with antlers high and hoof-hair

Dusting rusted clouds,

Tear and claw at heaven’s rafters,

Bellow with the flesh of prayer between your tightened teeth;

You've come to scape the raging wind,

The raging wind beneath, 
and keep her close, 
and keep her softly, 
for the heavens are abrasive;
what the wind won't do the angels will,

They'll stop at nothing for the kill
Steal the love-pie off your windowsill, 

Love's umbrella needs to be taken down sometimes
Lest it blow away or tatter