as I listened to her slender fingers
making exquisite love
to the ivories
to the melody
to Rachmaninoff
to the audience
to the Universe
to the thousand miles between us
to my heart
and to every atom in my Being
I realized that we must
never actually meet, for I’d
give myself instantly to her
melt into her mind
disappear within her soul
dazzled by her brilliance
incinerated by her beauty
and I was terrified
~ Paul Raworth Bennett
