Breathe, you say
and lead me into gloom,
away from beloved sunlight
and my mother's grief,
granite walls twinkling
in candle-glow like
stars frozen in stone.

Breathe, you say
and show me your domain,
hoping I'll learn to feel
at ease if light fades
in increments, that memories
of wind in my hair or the
bright petals of roses in
bloom will dim in time.

Breathe, you say
and hold me in your arms,
the taste of pomegranate
on my tongue, your breath
cool on my cheek as twilight
deepens to night, night that
will never end.

Breathe, you say
and tell me not to fear,
you are the King of Shadows
and darkness dare not harm me.

Jaime Lee Moyer abandoned California to live next to a river in the wilds of Ohio. She writes books and stories as well as poetry, assisted by two warrior kittens who help her chase the Muse. In her spare time she is the Poetry Editor for Ideomancer Speculative Fiction.

Her poetry has appeared in Strange Horizons, Mythic Delirium, The Fifth Di, Illumen, Star*Line, Dreams and Nightmares, Lone Star Stories, flashquake and the special edition chapbook, On Our Way to Battle: Poetry From the Trenches. Her first poetry chapbook, Blood and Brine, came out in March of 2007 and her poetry has been nominated for the 2006, 2007 and 2008 Rhysling Award.