Sometimes I Think the Uncertainty Brings Us Together

When I touch your hand it feels like a hand and not a drawbridge in the up position, I’m not pushing you away—I’ve been here the whole time, I would have noticed.  Of course I trust you, if I turn away it’s only to look at something else, only because I need to look around.  I’m tired of guessing, are you going to tell me what you don’t want me to know?  I’m placing my hands on your waist, one on each side, stiffened like a sluice rather than a hose, holding myself in place, keeping my fingers out of your mouth while I’m waiting for it to dry out, I often look at you when you’re not looking at me—I think your face is a hiding place for eyes, please leave your eyes where I can see them, please don’t take your eyes away.  Are you trying to ruin it?  When people are apart they need to be together, and when they’re together they start moving away from each other, as if they’re disappearing together, they’re not even looking for each other—if you don’t care okay you don’t always care, nobody cares about everything.  I want to be close to you, I’d like you to trust me, how far apart we are often depends on how we feel about each other, and what we need from each other.  Do you need me?  Do you need anything about me?  Sometimes I think it is the uncertainty that brings us together when it is only measuring the separation.

Peter Leight has previously published poems in Paris Review, AGNI, FIELD, Beloit Poetry Journal, Raritan, Matter, and other magazines.