I looked at you
With such feeling
Brought to me
Was fear of hell
Punishment
For the unholy thrill of watching
Your beautiful body
Move through the day
For the lust of my eyes
I fear
I would come to know
All five rivers in hell
In the river of hatred
Will I be made to wash my hair
For I had been an animal
Far too much in love
In the river of pain
For your name
Said softly to myself
Will I be damned to learn to swim
In the river of fire
I will burn eternal
For the greed for your body
And an animal am I
Far too much in love
Will I be plunged
In the river of tears
To have dreamt of you
Without end
And into the river of oblivion
Will I be made to drink and to forget myself forever
For I had been an animal
Far too much in love
Emily Small is an England-born, Michigan-based poet whose work explores memory, resilience, and the subtle transformations of the inner world. She has been writing poetry and painting since childhood, and her creative life is shaped by a deep sensitivity to people, place, and the shifting landscapes of emotion. Her poems trace the intersections of longing, clarity, and the ways we continue to remake ourselves. ETSY - INSTAGRAM
