You open to me br a little, br then grow afraid br and close again, br a small boy br fearing to be hurt, br a toe stubbed br in the dark, br a finger cut br on paper. br br I think I am free br of fears, br enraptured, abandoned br to the call br of the Bacchae, br my own siren, br tied to my own br mast, br both Circe br and her swine. br br But I too br am afraid: br I know where br life leads. br br The impulse br to join, br to confess all, br is followed br by the impulse br to renounce, br br and love-- br imperishable love-- br must die, br in order br to be reborn. br br We come br to each other br tentatively, br veterans of other br wars, br divorce warrants br in our hands br which we would beat br into blossoms. br br But blossoms br will not withstand br our beatings. br br We come br to each other br with hope br in our hands-- br the very thing br Pandora kept br in her casket br when all the ills br and woes of the world br escaped.