We Learn

ascending on the garish sun
eerie shadows arrive from a past life
they paint my skin however they like
'till I'm soaked in their brash deception
it itches and it smarts
it trickles, and stretches into silvery pools
she reminds me with a merciful nudge
to observe them, but resist a noxious plunge
their mercurial dregs will seep back in
let them settle into the sands where they belong
moonglow and mist harshens her tone
with strident audacity, she rebukes me
and my knowing eyes pierce her
let us both leave this funeral of regret
and laugh with our kindred spirits
at banality, tragicomic irony
and our own vain dreamworld ideals
let us explore the multiverse of contradictions
and bravely welcome mysterious new flavours
each with a familiar aftertaste
our bodies know an acrid essence of doom
and they know a warm sweetness of sincerity
this is our sounding alarm and our clue for comfort
through our earnest, juvenile attempts
through clumsy exertions
we learn greater, safer love
through absorption and rejection
of what love truly is not