Stitched Hearts
Two small words: “theater nerd”,
Spark lit fast, flame was stirred.
One thread pulled, our faiths align,
Silence broken, your heart met mine.
At dawn I speak, your weight is light,
Torchy’s touch makes dark feel bright.
We laugh in threads, the sound is near,
A bond that grows, both hold it dear.
Your humor sparks, I can’t disguise,
A quiet fire burning behind my eyes.
Each pull sears, no spaces to defend,
Two stitched hearts, aching to mend.
Dreams entwine where shadow parts,
Oasis found in our stitched hearts.
Through every thread, our lives extend,
Two stitched hearts the stars commend.
Hands once empty can now intertwine,
Softened paths through love’s design.
In storms we walk, through calm we stay,
Two stitched hearts that light the way.
Through every night, morning’s gleam,
You are my light, my constant dream.
In every stitch, love’s truth is seen,
Forever bright, you, my Sunbeam.
Dreams made real, it’s okay to cry,
Love’s true journey lifts us high.
With every dawn, our souls renew,
Two stitched hearts, forever true.
© Dereck Pritchard, 2025. All Rights Reserved. Okay to share in full with clear credit to the author. Partial excerpts require written permission.
Ache
I ache for your weight
settled in my lap,
your head on my chest,
home where it belongs.
I ache for the shower,
steam rising like prayer,
your body in my arms,
water blessing every kiss.
I ache for the aftercare,
your back beneath my hands,
fingers soothing the fire,
holding you steady, whole.
I ache for your hunger,
not for scraps of love,
but for the feast we make
in touch, in trust, in us.
I ache for your laughter,
the way it lifts me,
your eyes catching mine,
a flame I never douse.
I ache for your blush,
when “good boy” lingers,
when you know I see you,
and still want more.
I ache for your freedom,
to be wanted, to be full,
to be Sunbeam and beloved,
without apology.
I ache, Torchy to Sunbeam,
not just for your body,
but for the miracle of you,
aching back for me.
© Dereck Pritchard, 2025. All Rights Reserved. Okay to share in full with clear credit to the author. Partial excerpts require written permission.