Poetry Reading – “Touch”

Originally published April 10, 2018, this piece is a reflection on an intimate encounter, the history behind it, and the future it precipitated.

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The original piece is below for reference, and can be found in its entirety at https://objectsanddistance.com/2018/04/10/touch/

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Skin on skin
Fingertips move slowly over
The softest surface
Knee to
Ankle to
Your toes
Curled ever so slightly
Embarrassed even
Of their momentary spotlight

I am content
With just this
So simple
Seemingly insignificant
Gesture of intimate intent

Seemingly…
As we both know
The scene is not as simple as it seems
Memories, fragments of quartz
Lie adhered
Somewhere within
The distance between
You and I
Drawing not blood
But breath
Tearing not flesh
But bringing tears nonetheless

So we will move slowly
We will wear away those shards of stale stone
With patience
With love
With the embrace of
A bond undefined and open to
Your interpretation

For though the grains between us are
Sharp
They are brittle
Pretty translucent daggers
Designed far more to intimidate
Than to harm
More to weaken will
Than to withstand it’s full force
Their architects so laughably arrogant
Unaware the surfaces their scant sand would soon be scouring
Would be less surfaces
Than deep wells
Just waiting to be unearthed
Their calm, cool waters
Ready
To wash away
The jagged past