In The Space Between Breaths
Alas, my soul does bid thee to come close
Not for the sake of ceremony, nor influence
But because there are truths to whisper
And your presence has already undone me
Now, in the space between breaths
I must share my intimate confessions
For I have memorized each curve of your cheek
Sparkles from your eyes that bring ethereal light
Never-ending softness holding space on your lips
The way your hair gathers the morning light
How the red shimmers, and is not one shade
But that of a hundred fires and a thousand flames
Each strand capable of consuming my attention
Lost I often find myself from the world entirely
And when you are close, I feel the hands of time slow
Each moment a lifetime within an endless measure
And despite my request, allow the unfolding
Take pause, for there is no need for urgency
Desire, when honest, has the luxury of time
It waits with the patience of a lover’s return
Carefully tucked in the dreams of yearning
In the slow discovery of garments being surrendered
Tender kisses laid softly on bare flesh
Carnal knowledge of hands moving freely
And the heat of bodies wrapped in motion
There is a sweetness in the building of desire
Often more intoxicating than indulgence
Such as it is with words made truth on a page
To want you and not take you at every moment
Your presence alone brings satiation
The truest vision of where my devotion lies
But patience is not the last standing of virtue
For soon longing triumphs, and I shall indeed kiss you
My lips will hold, lingering with anxious breath
When my mouth finds the flesh along your throat
It is because I wish you to feel the excitement
Not the moment of happening, but the prologue
The depth of what shall come filling your thoughts
For as I am already undone in my thinking
You too shall be my sole partner and resolution
It is the simple truth of you being you
Each way your body listens to my hands upon it
Answering with motion that has no posturing
What speaks is deliberate and ladened with passion
Even when the invitation is not spoken
The answer is unequivocal enthusiasm
Now kiss me again, and know this, gentle soul
My love does not arrive in fragments or conditions
‘Tis something born from the quiet moments
Nurtured in constant thought, consuming hunger
Defined in the shared stillness where nothing is spoken
Forged in the fires of borderless ardor and urgency
So it is with such love that crosses the barriers of time
Once discovered, neither may ever allow it to slip away
Now I bid you evening stillness, come lay at my side
Rest your hand where it finds the peace of my heart
For that heart has been yours for far longer
Than this body, or others, have ever known
Additional Reading
R.J. (Ralph) Schwartz is an American poet, author, website owner, and online publisher. His writing spans several poetry collections—ranging from spiritual and romantic to fear-driven explorations—and even extends into science fiction. Notable works include:
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Hope – Inspirational and Spiritual Poetry
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Things That Go Bump in the Night – Poetry of Fear and Fright
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The Lover’s Thread – Poetry for Couples
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Poetry of the Human Condition – The Ups and Downs of Modern Living
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The Secrets of the Moon (a sci-fi novel co-authored with his son Sebastian J. Schwartz)
Schwartz’s work is described as purposefully wordy, richly descriptive, and thematically grounded in nature, romance, antiquity, and forgotten histories. He writes regularly on platforms he manages, including The Creative Exiles, a collaborative venue for writers, and The Gypsy Thread, which delves into offbeat histories, pagan lore, and poetry.
- When The Dictator Falls - January 12, 2026
- In The Space Between Breaths - January 9, 2026
- The Witch Returns - January 2, 2026
