Forever Intertwined Poem by Athos Antinori

Intertwining my fingers with yours
A familiar, intimate touch
But this one feels different.

I reach out for you,
Placing my ear over your chest
And listen to the soul's instrument:
Your heart, drumming against my lobe.
The rhythm gets fainter and fainter,
But I will accompany you always,
Even where our hearts no longer beat.

I interlock my fingers with yours again,
But this time,
It's not your hand I'm holding.

A warmth I've never felt before,
Yet feels like I've known it forever,
Fills my spirit.
Your soul,
My soul,
Finally free from this mortal flesh.

I see you,
The most vulnerable and naked part of you.
It's hauntingly beautiful,
And I don't think I could be capable of imagining
Something as ethereal and raw as you.

I embrace you,
Becoming one entity of grief and love.
We're not two bags of flesh anymore,
We are our darkest desires and fears.

I try to hold your hand again,
But it's gone --
Dissolved into warmth,
Into light,
Into everything I didn't know I could love this deeply.

I've accompanied you in this new realm
As the new spirit that we've become,
But part of me wishes,
We could still be two different souls --
So I could embrace your warm hand again.