The Prize Catch

I saw him,

Clearly through the haze.

A smile on his parched lips,

Sweat dripping off his eyebrow,

A shroud adorning his broad shoulder.

I fell in love with him there

And sought him as he sped away in his boat.

I swam the deep waters,

Staying close to him.

Aching to catch another sight of him,

Another whiff of him.

Did I hallucinate or did he really see me?

My heart skipped a beat

As he came across, to have a look.

I moved towards him,

I was in a daze, goose-bumps all over me.

He bent down and a wave of doubts plagued me.

Did he not desire me?

Was there someone else waiting for him?

And then, he came up.

That half minute was the longest thirty seconds of my life.

He threw his cloak towards me,

It engulfed me and I was beyond all worldly happiness.

A lover’s first gift to his lady.

And then he drew me towards him.

And I swam eagerly,

Not wanting to delay the moment when we would first meet

And he would take me in his arms.

He pulled me out of water impatiently,

The wait being intolerably long for both us.

I thought I would die before he would lay his hands on me,

But I didn’t.

The first touch was brief and I died a hundred times.

And then, he tossed me over to the side.

The prize catch, he called me.