touch

how it feels to be imprisoned

When I get out

I’m going to ask someone

To touch me

Very gently please

And slowly

Touch me

I want

To learn again

How life feels

I’ve not been touched

For seven years

I’ve been untouched

Out of touch

And I’ve learnt

To know now

The meaning of

Untouchable

Untouched….not quite

I can count the things

that have touched me

One: fists

At the beginning

Fierce mad fists

Till I remember

Screaming

don’t touch me

Please don’t touch me

Two: paws

The first four years of paws

Everyday

Patting paws, searching

Arms up, shoes off

Legs apart

Prodding paws, systematic

Heavy, indifferent

Probing away

All privacy

I don’t want fists and paws

I want

To be touched

Again

And to touch

I want to feel alive

Again

I want to say

when I get out

Here I am

Please touch me

Author's Note

all reviews are accepted