I Will Not Let You Go

A Villanelle

You know
There are places in my heart
I will not let you go,

Where shame retreats to shadow — 
At your soft footsteps, departs.
You know.

You’ve known since long ago,
Yet still you promised from the start:
“I will not let you go.

And from my love, no sea of sin, no
Wickedness within, can part
You; know

I will not leave you bound below.
Though death itself tear us apart,
I will not let you go.”

And so you set me free. It’s slow,
But shadows flee and I start to believe unfinished art:
“You know
I will not let you go.”

_________________

Originally posted as part of Chalkboard's Imagà Imaginings image-inspired poetry project.
Image by 제딧.