'Hands, intended for caress'

'Hands, intended for caress' timothy r gates, 7/05/2010

Bones near,
broken
skin past,
bruised
fists,
landed head on

hands,
intended for a caress –
land on adolescent's joys
hands,
intended for a stroke –
planted squarely on cheeks
hands,
intended for catching a tear –
impose their icons

Bones heal
skin smooths
eyes find tears,
remembering the betrayals –
but then, find something new
'happy tears.'


subscript:
hisses sought the night's abuse
kisses were confused
tipped his hat
cupped her hands
children wonder,
if they could
not knowing a soft touch,
when it comes –
first you, jump,
expecting a jerk and smack
tenderness confuses
hat covers affection
scarfs veil experience
children wonder,
praying they could
innocence stolen
innocence baptized
innocence's kiss.
Thank you.

*A gift of reciprocal beauty is that of a child who knows innocence sharing this insight with a person
who never knew this gift. Not to rob a child of what you've been stolen, and then to behold their freedom of seeing through a prism, this is just the coolest of all things (to those who know this).