The Moon has a Scent
Virginia Carraway Stark

Night blossoming
Moon flower
Palest ivory
Lemon ice
Scented jasmine
The smell of water
The heat of the night
Secret oasis
Bring me here again
In your arms
Hold me tight
My heart is pounding
Can you feel it?
Or is your pulse
Beating in time with mine?
Roses sleep, there heads nodding
In a late, full moon breeze
Mingling their velvet scent
With the brown of sandalwood
The ivory of jasmine
And the way our hearts beat as one
The water cooling our thirst
(but not our thirst)
Sand baking into our bare feet
“I can smell the moonlight” I say,
And you laugh, because no one can, of course
But in that moment everything has a scent to me
Even the moon flavors the air faintly
Of apricots and figs, vanilla sorbet
Girls are so silly
The night is getting hotter
I can see my breath
Tonight’s the night for love
In the secret oasis
Where everything has a scent