Touch
Hugh Lewin
, Summary
In this poem, the speaker expresses the desire to be touched gently and
slowly a er being untouched for seven years.
The speaker reflects on the experiences of being touched by fists and paws
and the viola on of privacy that comes with being in prison.
The speaker longs to feel alive again and to learn how life feels through
touch.
Figures of speech
Repe on: "touch me" is repeated mul ple mes throughout the poem,
emphasizing the speaker's desire for physical contact.
Metaphor: The speaker compares themselves to an "untouchable" to convey
the isola on and lack of physical contact experienced in prison.
Imagery: The use of vivid sensory details such as "arms up, shoes off, legs
apart" creates a clear image of the invasive search procedures in prison.
Allitera on: The repeated "p" sound in "pa ng paws, searching" and
"prodding paws, systema c" creates a rhythmic effect.
, Poem
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
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 ngs
that have touched me
One: fists
At the beginning
fierce mad fists
, bea ng bea ng
ll I remember
screaming
Don’t touch me
please don’t touch me.
Two: paws
The first four years of paws
every day
pa ng paws, searching
– arms up, shoes off
legs apart –
prodding paws, systema c
heavy, indifferent
probing away
all privacy.
I don’t want fists and paws
I want
to 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
Hugh Lewin
, Summary
In this poem, the speaker expresses the desire to be touched gently and
slowly a er being untouched for seven years.
The speaker reflects on the experiences of being touched by fists and paws
and the viola on of privacy that comes with being in prison.
The speaker longs to feel alive again and to learn how life feels through
touch.
Figures of speech
Repe on: "touch me" is repeated mul ple mes throughout the poem,
emphasizing the speaker's desire for physical contact.
Metaphor: The speaker compares themselves to an "untouchable" to convey
the isola on and lack of physical contact experienced in prison.
Imagery: The use of vivid sensory details such as "arms up, shoes off, legs
apart" creates a clear image of the invasive search procedures in prison.
Allitera on: The repeated "p" sound in "pa ng paws, searching" and
"prodding paws, systema c" creates a rhythmic effect.
, Poem
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
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 ngs
that have touched me
One: fists
At the beginning
fierce mad fists
, bea ng bea ng
ll I remember
screaming
Don’t touch me
please don’t touch me.
Two: paws
The first four years of paws
every day
pa ng paws, searching
– arms up, shoes off
legs apart –
prodding paws, systema c
heavy, indifferent
probing away
all privacy.
I don’t want fists and paws
I want
to 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
