Heartbeat

HER:

To me, you were god’s best piece of art-- nature’s beauty,

My eyes spotted you among hundreds of others,

A smile so enticing,

You were a blooming flower surrounded by a thicket of weeds, 

And I was a white butterfly that could never have your spotlight, 

It felt like spring on a gloomy Monday morning in October, 

I couldn’t help but loom closer to you, 

To admire your beautiful sight that I wished would remain in my eyes--forever, 

Not a second’s glance, yet I wondered? 

How would the nights be to sleep with your scent by my side? 

How would it be blessed to be looked upon by a sunflower like the way it does the sun? 

How would I live without caressing your cheeks, even if they are soft petals about to wilt? 

As I flew closer, my chest was filled with warmth and joy, 

Butterflies formed in my stomach,

My heart was thumping so loudly that it could’ve exploded, 

I batted my eyes so rapidly and my wings fluttered quickly,

At that moment, if you had beseeched, I would’ve wrapped my heart in your petals,

HIM:

I noticed her hovering near me and I smiled, 

I knew that she saw the sun in me, 

She longed to entangle her hands in mine, 

Like a butterfly landing on a flower’s antenna, 

Little does she know I’m a Venus Fly Trap disguised as a sunflower, 

As she approached, my heart paced faster, 

I could feel an adrenaline rush coursing through my body, 

My pulse matched hers, 

I couldn’t help but ponder? 

How would she endure it if I built castles in the air for her and then killed her dreams under my petals--softly? 

How would I live without her recognizing my true colors? 

How would she remain broken if I consumed her time, her patience, and her mind? 

I’m not as pure as she thinks I am. 

I would dare to share my pain by burning her wings and tainting them black.

I have no other option, for I am a Venus Fly Trap. 

I feed on pure souls. 

She is god’s most beautiful piece of art, 

And I enjoy altering paintings for my desires, 

For as long as they last.

by Anandi Gunda