Ripples

She stood on a rock,
Beside the lake.
It was a moonlit night.
But not for long.
The moon hid her face,
Behind a veil of clouds,
To cloud my vision of her.
Shame or jealousy,
I couldn't tell,
But it didn't matter.
I saw her well.
No one can ignore a lamp,
That lights itself in the darkness.
I saw her as she stood there.
I saw her face. No, I saw the moon.
... I don't know.
I saw her eyes. No, I saw the stars.
... I don't know.
She looked at the lake.
She saw the ripples,
With curiosity and almost, disbelief,
Ripples, soft and smooth.
One after another.
In precise succession,
Like the beat to a soundless song,
Only she could hear,
Or only she was meant to hear.
Then she asked why,
The ripples went to her,
And not away.
My eyes opened wide.
Perhaps she had seen me.
Perhaps she had heard me.
No. I was at the other side of the lake.
Beyond where eyes could see.
She hadn't seen me.
She had seen my ripples.
There I was, thrashing about,
Like a fish out of water,
Singing my song,
Making my ripples,
Hoping she might look beyond a question.
Then she did. But she was scared.
These were unknown waters.
She couldn't swim.
Little did she know,
Neither could I.
... But I wanted to.
The world conspires to save you,
but only when you're about to drown.
The wind blew gently,
Pushing each ripple out to her.
Ripple after ripple,
Calling out to her,
Asking for some strength of her own.
But she only turned away.
But she stood where she was.
With the ripples to her back.
With the wind to her back.
I reached out for her hand,
But fell short,
Of the courage to impose,
An expression of my emotions,
On an ear that would listen,
But which contrived with silent lips,
To not give freedom even to whispers.
With all my strength,
I sent a wave to the other shore,
Hoping to see a ripple in reply,
However faint, however small.
But there was nothing,
As I slipped beneath the water.
Forever bound, forever gagged.
But my heart does not need my tongue.
My heart doesn't need me.
From beneath the waves,
I saw a light.
Not the moon. Not the stars.
... I don't know.
My heart kept beating,
Sending out ripples.
Perhaps one day,
A ripple I sent might come back.
Just might come back.
Because there was a light.
Nothing can ignore a lamp,
That lights itself in the darkness.
There is a light.
And so, there shall be ripples.
That may bump helplessly,
Against the shore where she stands.
There shall be ripples.
Forever.
As I lie beneath the waves.
Perhaps, forever.