The Carnival of Love

The Carnival of Love

lights hum in the night air,

faces pressed close in laughter,

eyes catch sparks no one else sees,

hands brush, linger longer than reason.

music spins bodies into wild stories,

hearts drum to the rhythm of forgetting.

smoke curls from popcorn stands,

sweet, bitter, mingling on tongues.

every corner a promise,

every smile a dare.

the ferris wheel lifts them

above the world they try to escape.

cotton candy clouds stick to fingers,

sticky sweet like whispered lies.

the carousel spins memory backward,

horses gallop through the hollow of chest,

he holds her hand,

though neither knows the ending.

fireworks shatter the quiet,

scattering stars over crowded streets.

she laughs, it feels dangerous,

he leans closer,

their shadows merge,

they vanish into the glow.

tickets crumpled in pockets,

souvenirs of fleeting magic,

the scent of rain on asphalt,

and a kiss that tastes like forever,

even though they know

tomorrow will demand its dues.

the carnival folds itself into sleep,

empty stalls, silent lights,

but somewhere in the dark,

two hearts still chase each other

around the ferris wheel,

around the edges of forever.