A sensitive reading of her spoken word poem about finding love, ‘My Oasis, My Love’ by author Amber Fernie.
MY OASIS, MY LOVE
Spoken Word Poem About Finding Love
by Amber Fernie
When you fly across a desert
Injured, crashing, stumbling over hot sand until
Ahead, the air shimmers above a patch of green, you think
I’ve seen mirages before; it’s hard to feel hopeful.
But little choice prompts you toward them.
You steel yourself for disappointment
Only to reach an oasis after all
And suddenly, all the space is filled with richness and shade, and sweet, cool water.
Where did this come from?
There is nothing within me
Which planted it.
And truth be known, it strikes me with terror
Where I was never afraid before.
Where instead was resignation and maybe even
Some vague impression of justice.
I made this desert.
I don’t know the cost of leaving it.
But he looks at me with such compassion in these moments
Calls me his wounded bird
Tells me he has a place here just for me.
I’m overwhelmed by gratitude,
But the grip of fear tightens,
Because I realize that I do know the cost.
It comes later, when I am gray
And I just can’t be warmed in his absence.
It comes when I can no longer feel his exact temperature, or his breathing, or his sweat.
When his hands can’t hold my hands, or my cheeks, or any part of me.
It is dear, and it is inescapable.
And I have chosen to pry the fingers of fear from my heart
To preen my bent wing
Healing, for the time being
Safe in the nest of his making, I accept
That every moment of sorrow to come is a price I would pay tenfold
For this.
END
My Oasis, My Love – A Spoken Word Poem About Finding Love, first appeared for the Karma Animal Poetry Contest
Want to enter a writing competition or just looking for some writing prompts? Try the Short Story Contests page.