The Space Between, Photos by Cotton Coulson and Sisse Brimberg -- National Geographic

The Space Between, Photos by Cotton Coulson and Sisse Brimberg-- National Geographic

Silver Curtains

Breathe in, breathe out, she watched his chest rise and fall.
Motion within his eyelids,dreamscape tainted tall
Darkened desires, red thoughts and fantasies
Her ruby flecked eyes and lips had said it all.

Moonlight streamed through the open windows,
The wind billowing the linen curtain white, infused with silver
Alive, soaring, breathing out, exhaling, twisting sheets quiver
She saw him lost, lost in pain and pleasure shadows.

The boned walls, gaunt and splattered with invisible dreams,
The pulsing carpet stained with bleeding tears, little streams
Fingers clenched, the gasps the moans...and falling to nothing
The skeletal bed, clawed and enmeshed with silent screams.


She spread her black velvet wings and watching his twilight sleep
The silver moon beckoned, whispered of red veined promises to keep.
He would never dream or moan her Rubied name-
Lust for a stranger, twisted ecstasy, Blood of Life was her wicked game.

Can you hear me now?

Can you hear me now?
As I mouth the words, you yearned to hear...
Can you hear me now?
As the glass cut my heart, and you shed no tear.

Can you hear me now?

Long calls, longer talks, words flowed all day long.
Life was a melody, you and me were the song;
The universe was in your arms, my world, You and I—
Till death do us part, only to love till we die

The christened vows, the house we set,
Your friends my friends, loved them all who I met
Satin nights, sunshine days, Time in a golden daze
Life was a bliss, till she turned a hard gaze

It started with a note, a text, a hidden smile,
You disbelieved at first, then doubts flowed awhile.
The time away grew longer, we missed out on talks.
You doubted my every word, but silent, your eyes were hawks.

Then you confronted, accused, screamed, ranted and raved
I tried to pacify, I thought you'd see sense, but you were crazed.
You just wouldn't listen, each word tore me asunder
Outside the clouds were black, torrential rain, and thunder.

I left to get proof- your surprise birthday party was the plan.
Video clips and pics from family and friends, memories in a can.
Why did doubt rear its ugly head? My love was no fake.
You thought I had betrayed and Lust was the Snake.

It could never happen to us, our love was so strong
But, watching your twisted face I knew I was wrong
Wanted to grow old with you, dreamed the dream from so afar
Blinded by my tears and rain, I didn't see the car...

Can you hear me now?
As I said I love you, my body lay crushed, veins ribbon frayed,
Can you hear me now? I know that you don't.
Its been 50 years, but beside you I have stayed.

Stone heart

I spun the dreams in gossamer, I knew they would snap.
I spun the nightmares in steel enmeshed, I knew they would bleed.
His eyes closed, slowly, bated breath mine- rapt.
He was lost to my weave, his subconscious freed.

He flew his memories, sprang on all sides with bewildering speed
Valleys opened, vistas vibgyor, luscious and deep
Inward I drew, heady and drunk with greed
Skimming, gorging, consummation more than need.

Smiling eyes, lithe fingers, caresses and kisses crowned
Faces loom, bodies bound, heat and flame around.
I chased, he ran, drawing closer, lust for blood unbound
I sucked his strength, breath weakened, a hollow stepped sound.

Faltering mid-step, memories and nightmares, screams sound.
Sense of loss, grief, pain, old, old heartache, shattered now,
Tainted dreams, silver edged, he slipped, my web I spun
DreamWitch they call me, loveless, lonely—my eternal Tao.

Where they mate...

Clouds skim over the city-line, skittering folds of grey, tinged red,
As the night lights beam up their vibrancy, their hopes and dreams
Of the glittering rich sighs and the dulled trapped screams...
Corpulence gloats, lost in his folds of a million appetites
As Incubus Greed mates with Succubus Envy, entwined satin sheets.

Clouds skim over the thatched roofs, fleeting folds of white.
The solitary street light cowers from the dark, Moans-
Escape the twisted bodies, thrashed in the collective pain,
Faustian dreams, shattered hopes of forgotten gleams
As Incubus Desperation mates with Succubus Frustration, entwined torn cotton sheets.

Clouds skim over gaping roofs, luminous folds of silver.
Gaping ceilings, broken windows as Moonlight plays hide-and-seek with Shadow.
The lizard motionless, eyes silver as the broken roads
Skulls gleam white, scrubs fight as Wind seeks any living soul
As incubus Desolation rapes the City of Bones of forgotten eons ago...