What We Hold
mother watches me wash my hands
in the bathroom sink
shy
and distrustful of language
she stood
close enough to walk away
when our eyes meet
she asked how long
have you been this
not uttering the word
that I believe made me
so unclean
she asked again how long
and i think to myself for as long as i’ve been
able to distinguish
desire from need
she asked yet again
not knowing what to hold
held her hands
instead
and asked why
now why keep a thing
so heavy away
from me
źródło: Read A Little Poetry
10.09.2026