Loving while Incarcerated

“May I hold your hand my love?”
“No but no, for do you not see
the eyes which stare and stare?”
and so we sat, a hair’s breadth between
as good as an infinite reach apart

“Never forget that I love you”
he whispers
fearing
“And I love you”
I whisper
fearing

These words, if witnessed
could tear
us from each other’s empty arms

“May I rest my head my love,
upon your shoulder sweet?”
“No but no, for do you not feel
the malice of authority?”
and so we sat, a hair’s breadth between
as good as an infinite reach apart

“Never forget that I love you”
“and I love you”
We whisper
fearing

“May I hold you close my love?”
“No but not, for while we sit a hair’s breadth apart
there is brick and razor wire between
but never forget that I love you”
“and I love you”
we whisper
fearing

“May I hold you hand my love?”
I hold my breadth
daring
waiting
praying
fearing
until I feel his hand clasped in mine.

“I love you”
he speaks, voice unhushed
“And I love you”
my heart
joy
my spirit
happy

but my mind
my mind
my mind is heavy with the rule of law
which
names this crime

“I love you”
“and I love you”
we whisper
withdraw our touch
and weep
for while our love binds us as one
between our bodies
law demands
an infinite
hair’s breadth
reach

Advertisement