The ocean waves

Caressed the shore,

Tickling the sand.

The green sea’s brine

Broke the stillness

Of the night.

The wind whistled

Through the reeds

And grasses;

It then began

To brush my hair

And gently touch

My weary face.



I smiled

Into the ocean.

I smiled

Into the night.

I smiled

With the salty sea.

I smiled

To the deathly still.

Then her perfume

Ripped the scene;

Honeysuckle

Banishing salt;

Her smile

Perked my senses.



Her vibrant hair

Made me grin.

The corners

Of her mouth

Curved slyly.

She approached,

And I waited.

Yes, I waited,

For I didn’t

Want to run.

I’d been running

Far too long,

And I was

Finished, done.

I would run

No longer.



Her gentle hand

Landed on

My tired hip,

And her face

Was alight with

Affection.

She had adorned

A loose tank top

That fell

About her grace.

She smiled

Into my eyes

And loosened

My tight face.



My own white shirt

Billowed about me,

Thrashing in the wind.

It was so different

From my conscious—

It barely

Held me in.

The top buttons

Were undone

To reveal

My graying chest.

I smiled again;

This was the real me

That even the wolf

Could not touch.



Our hands clasped

In one moment

Of sweet bliss;

Her soft, white palm

Enclosed in

My rough paw.

I allowed

Her embrace

To fall into me;

Our cheeks—

They gently touched.



That’s when she looked

Beyond me to

Where the moon

Was shining bright:

A full orb

Reflected

In her eyes;

But I knew

There wasn’t danger.

I looked into

The moon above;

Of it I

Was no stranger.



I realized then

This was a dream

As moonlight’s

Glance fell on me.

No pain I felt

As white-blue light

Filled my own

Old features.

I was still I;

No monster grew

From the moonlight’s curse.

I smiled again,

For I knew

Over was the worse.



For in my dream

I was free

From my wolfen bonds,

So I could

Free my love

From chains that

I had cast upon;

They’d halted me from

Kissing those sweet lips

That now smiled

So innocently

Into my

Weary face.



I freed myself;

I let loose love

And returned

Her smile fair.

My hand found

Its place at last

On her swaying hip.

We moved together

As one forever,

Dancing to the wind,

Who played love’s song

The whole night long

In the waves

And hollow reeds.



We danced and swayed

The nighttime through;

The moonlight we ignored.

We saw only

Each other’s eyes

And the love

That now had spurred.

The sky shone bright,

The stars fell to

The dropping

Of the waves,

And only I

Knew the secrets

The stars would

Never tell.



They were like

One thousand

Untold love stories,

Each a different jewel:

A thousand victims

Falling quickly

To the fortune

That is love.

I felt at peace,

Looking at the sky.

The brightest star

Winked at me—

Congratulating

My love, alive.



And I knew

That star was

Sirius,

Kept in heaven’s

Paradise,

And he was

Watching from

His perch, happy

At long last.

I heard his

Bark-like laugh

Quickly join the wind,

So I held

His cousin tighter.

He was glad,

And so was I,

That love made

Life much lighter.



And I knew

That watching, too,

Were somewhere

James and Lily.

Their love was strong

And though they’re gone,

I could feel

Them linger still.

They seemed to know

I’d found my place

Within my

Sea nymph’s arms.

I knew their love-

Tale was enshrined

In the blanket

Of shimmering stars,

And I knew,

As our lips met,

That our story

Was there, too.



Yes, from this beach

Our story’s told

As we fall

Into our fold.

Our story’s

Now a shining star,

An untold tale,

Best seen afar;

And I melted

Into her warm lips

And let them

Gently caress

My own, closing

My eyes as the

World stopped.

The world stopped

For us alone.



And I released her,

My love building still;

I looked beyond her

To a cabin near.

A nod of my head

And a twisted grin

Told her I was

Ready to begin.

She followed me

In our loving race,

Trust and peace

Etched on her face.

And we fell

Into our love,

For we knew

What was to come.



And then a light

Unrelated

To the moon

Opened my eyes,

Releasing my dream,

Erasing my

Nymphadora.

The sea was gone,

No cabin was there;

Only my room—

Desolate and bare;

It was void of love,

As was my heart.



I sighed, greeting

Morning’s sun.

The irony

Amused me

Only for a spell:

That the dawn

Which usually blessed

Me, vanishing

My inner beast,

Had now bestowed

A new curse,

Erasing my dream.



I’d wanted the dream

To continue;

I’d wanted it

Never to end.

But, of course,

That’s why it

Is a dream—

Impossible,

It always seems.

Of course I

Could not have

My love;

Of course my

Heart was frozen.



I rose from bed,

Trying to erase

Love from my mind,

“But, Remus…�

I could hear shadows

Of my dream

Whisper still,

“It is love that

Keeps us alive.�



“But not for me,�

I shouted to

The voices

In my head,

“Love for me

Spells only my

Nymphadora dead.�



I could hear the stars

Above my roof

Mourn and scoff

At me as they

Faded into day.

My three great friends,

Now only stars,

Would shake their

Heads in shame

If they knew

What it is I do

To cause my

Nymphadora pain.



“They wouldn’t see,

They wouldn’t know…�

I tell myself

More firmly.

“You’re a burden,

Nothing more.�

I sighed, knowing

The truth at last,

“She’s for your dreams,

And your dreams only.�