Hand-Hold: a Poem

Hand-hold


I am Hermes
flying towards
and onwards
past the Sun
onto Saturn
and Jupiter
caressing Venus
stroking Luna
and its seas

only us
in the moment
in eternity
ceaselessly
in exquisite
torment
in acquiescent
passion
in exuberant
passivity
in mutual trust

I feel
your warmth
the palmar creases
traversing
your so-white
freckled skin
the softness
the tenderness
the shining light
of the self
that let me in
the firmness
of your grip
holding on
longer than necessary
not as long as needed
callouses from travail
tickle a thrill
all through
what is essential
we two

does it matter?
really
I hardly knew you
even less today
yet constantly
together
love?
yes probably
true-love?
divine peace
maybe

whatever
hearts elate
pulses race
orbs coruscate
regard the other’s
sweet, laughing smile
flushing cheeks
David & Jonathan
mates

a lack of speech
nothing
and yet
everything
was uttered
in ever-yesterday

hands touch
vigorously
playfully
lovingly
forearms
elbows
shoulders
backs
lumbers
forelegs
thighs
chests
above a heart
cupping faces
stroking halses

feet touch
humorously
in horse-play
one or other
socked foot
even
and more often
a wobbly
gluteus maximus

fingers touch
oh-so-lightly
a warm, hirsute thigh
a necklace-wrinkled throat
a freshly shaven chin
smooth lips

lips touch
truthfully
erubescent cheeks
silken, Nordic-blond cilia
standing to attention
moistened in the motion
to such pliant labia

thirty-five years later
in my mind’s-eye
images so clear
still seeing you laugh
at the sea-side
soaking-wet fun
a silent-film
from a penny-slot
no recollection…
no sound

only our hands touch
in amity dear

in memory
always
now

You
Aries
philia
my left-hand
my long-lost, old chum
not quite straight
not quite gay
pondering chat

we
Librans
invariably
require balance
and so

Gran
Leo
storge
my right-hand
my maternal confidante
dead but ever near
alive to me
listening chat

rooting me
spiritually
my common-sense
both essential threads
of feeling loved and
my incipient confidence

and yes
I grasp
I am happy
if that is all
if that is that

for ever in reciprocity
our hand-hold
perpetual
clasp