Touch - Hugh Lewis
IEB 2025
When I get out Two: paws
I'm going to ask someone The first four years of paws
to touch me every day
very gently please patting paws, searching
and slowly, - arms up, shoes off
touch me legs apart -
I want prodding paws, systematic
to learn again heavy, indifferent
how life feels. probing away
all privacy.
I've not been touched
for seven years I don't want fists and paws
for seven years I want
I've been untouched to want to be touched
out of touch again
and I've learnt and to touch,
to know now I want to feel alive
the meaning of untouchable. again
want to say
Untouched-not quite when I get out
I can count the things Here am
that have touched me please touch me.
One: fists
At the beginning
fierce mad fists
beating beating
till I remember
screaming
Don't touch me
please don't touch me.
IEB 2025
When I get out Two: paws
I'm going to ask someone The first four years of paws
to touch me every day
very gently please patting paws, searching
and slowly, - arms up, shoes off
touch me legs apart -
I want prodding paws, systematic
to learn again heavy, indifferent
how life feels. probing away
all privacy.
I've not been touched
for seven years I don't want fists and paws
for seven years I want
I've been untouched to want to be touched
out of touch again
and I've learnt and to touch,
to know now I want to feel alive
the meaning of untouchable. again
want to say
Untouched-not quite when I get out
I can count the things Here am
that have touched me please touch me.
One: fists
At the beginning
fierce mad fists
beating beating
till I remember
screaming
Don't touch me
please don't touch me.
