Holding Hands

Holding hands is nice, when you think about it.
It's someone saying, "I want to touch you.
I want to be connected to you.
I want to feel the thump thump of your blood pumping
In the places where we are joined."
Because maybe their blood will pump in time,
and the connection becomes something more.

Holding hands is validation.
You are clean. You are good.
And even if you're not, someone thinks you are
because someone is willingly touching you,
touching the soft heart of their palm to yours.
You cannot hold hands with someone disgusting.
You could not stand the thought of their essence,
the filth of bad personality and worse character
that clings to their skin and is transferred to yours
like whispering spiders.

But what of those times when the grip is too tight,
when fingers like vices squeeze your hand and your wrist?
It makes the blood pump faster,
but is that worth the bruises it leaves behind?
You shake this hand off.
You try and wriggle free.
You push and you pull,
or maybe you don't,
because the hand's grip has made you numb.
You no longer feel the pain of that too-tight grasp.
You only feel the thump thump of their blood
as your own is trapped, fingers turning blue.

Stiffness

There's a stiffness in my joints

That comes from running too far

Running for miles, dawn to dusk, again

There is sweat and ache

And a stiffness

Or maybe it's from thinking about running

There's a stiffness in my joints

That comes from walking too long

Waling everywhere, without care,

Direction, and purpose

With a stiffness

Or maybe it's from thinking about walking.

There's a stiffness in my joints

That comes from standing all day

Standing straight and firm much too long

The work is never done 

It brings stiffness 

Or maybe it's from thinking about standing

There's a stiffness in my joints

That comes from sitting at least

Sitting through old and hard and sad

Why did I ever stand?

There is a stiffness

Or maybe it's from thinking about sitting.

There is a stiffness in my joints

That comes from flying at night

Flying up to places unreal

For they are too perfect

For the stiffness

Or maybe it's from dreaming about flying.