Love Like Obsidian

They were both used to taming,
The man and the woman that night,
Her with eyes like marshfire flaming,
Him with a soul as dark as bright.

Their love wheeled and clashed like stone
(Less a love than it was a hate)
Sounding out a pure and granite tone
Ringing from within her archéd gate.

Brilliant eyes and heartsfire mind,
She stood there, not waiting for him,
But for something she had longed to find,
Straight as a lily, tall and slim.

Darkest hair and starbright gaze,
Like a tiger he seized her hand.
He had been watching her for days
As the wolf watches the grazing lamb.

But it was no lamb who bared her throat
(Pale as the light of the moon above)
While her hair gave the night its blood-red note,
Making cold and obsidian all their love.

His eyes were scrolls of brightest blue
As he bent to accept her kiss.
Then swift within the darkening hue
Came a flicker that exploded at her hiss.

Clawing hands like spiders long and white
Lifted to his neck and tore the chain
That had glittered there like heart of light
To guard his heart from lasting pain.

Stronger hands smoothed down her hair
As they walked down the garden path,
And something obsidian dark and fair
Came from him that might have been a laugh.

She found something for which she had yearned
(That lady of cold thoughts and colder desire).
For years her hair with flame had burned,
But only recently had she chosen the fire.

He found something of which he had dreamed
(That lord from places where dark things are).
For years his eyes with starlight had gleamed,
But now he shone like a shining star.

And who can say, whether looking from afar,
Or close as the moon sweeping by above,
Whether, in that bed under the wheeling stars,
The pair that night made hate or love?