You called me extraordinary;
my little, sheltered soul
in my shack by the sea,
eating seaweed.
I was so surprised,
I cried
just a little;
I admired you so.
To strip away self-doubt
to the bare rawness that remains,
lighten the load;
seeds I have sowed
& never thought that they would grow.
Like that coffee cup
emptied of grains,
but flowering anyway,
you turned on me your gaze;
afraid to look away.
To define is a line
that’s paper thin.
Sometimes we walk it straight,
sometimes we will waver.
How strange to meet you at the line;
touching distance,
muse becomes man.
You give me your strong hand,
your voice
& magnify my mild mind,
as though I deserve it:
the name
you gave