A Suit of Ash, a Dress of Char

Posted on October 16, 2016 by Sonya Lano — Leave a comment

Let’s dance through life, our love aflame,
In flame, my soul tattooed your name:
Your brilliance scrawled across my heart
Awakened every lonesome part.
No space for doubt, no ‘left to chance’,
We leap, we dare; we soar, and dance.

We hold on tight, ablaze at night,
Our waltz alight in soft moonlight,
My velvet gown in threads of light,
Your silken suit spun from midnight.
Shine bright, starlight, long past twilight;
We love inside resplendent night.

Survivors like a vagabond,
Our fervent love prevails beyond:
Beyond what mortal minds can bear,
Beyond what mortal hands can tear,
Beyond what greedy schemes can take,
Beyond what evil deeds can break,
Beyond what lying mouths can fake;
Beyond what weakness dares forsake—

Let scorch and rain and those in pain
Try telling us that we’re insane,
Because this love we have is real,
Which none can take, break, fake, or steal.
Their knives may slash; our skin may scar,
Their scalding hate may singe and mar,
But still we spin beneath our star,
In a suit of ash, a dress of char.

This poem is dedicated to couples who keep on loving even though they feel beaten and tattered by the world.

Updates on my books:

Bright with Starlight, Burned by Fire (Cascade’s story): 73% through the 4th draft (definition of drafts below)
New Under A Caged Sky cover should be out maybe in about 3 weeks to a month! I’m nervous because I have *no* idea what it’s going to be like (I’m waiting for the cover artist)
Heiress of Shadow (Ara’s story): 39% through the 2nd draft
The Ever Spirits (dark fantasy romance) 100% through 3rd draft, 0% through 4th
About That Happy Ending (cat princess fun fairy tale): 68% through the 3rd draft
Somewhere in the Dark (an absolutely unapologetic historical Gothic romance): 71% through the 3rd draft

LEGEND:

1st draft: In general, I show these to no one but my cats, and they pity me.
2nd draft: My intense edit of the 1st draft to make it palatable for human readers.
3rd draft: Edits of the 2nd draft based on reader feedback (I cut or rewrite scenes, add passages or parts for clarity, fix typos, etc.).
4th draft: My reread and edits of the 3rd draft
Beta reader draft: the draft I send out to beta readers
Published Book: May have some typos and small things that beta readers overlooked that I fix as people tell me about them.