– Paul Harne

A photograph of you and me at the MarylandRenaissance Faire:An artfully-captured-yet-objective-image,a liar.

Two hundred seventy-three thousand, six hundred twelveignorant pixels

depict slate skies and clouds my memory omits.Portrayed is an earth-toned, suede-faced animal thatwe idle upon:An Asian elephant (smaller than the better-loved-variety,African in its origin).

That is the lie of a misfit lens.

You and I, dizzied by our fresh infatuation and hard-cider,           made more light than that camera’s aperture

could consume.

Above purple peonies and tiger lilies

(orange, as you like them best),                                                       We flew.