it brushes against bones
and seeps into i
suddenly i am envisioning
sweaty hands shaking at fabric seams
of jeans worn thrice that week
they are my hands now
and the lips ask that the hands are okay
they are
they move on and
the body comes with
hoping to come
the fingers try on their own to undo buttons
at the waist
the worn come down over
slightly damp legs and bruised knees
that show hairs that the body would prefer not to
show but
i don’t mind
the lips are dry now
as they rub against skin
and the hands are wet as they do the same
but elsewhere
teeth grip tight to hold in air
and sound
and hands press against the wall
to be steady
and they slide down with a breath of relief
and release

afterwards
my hands cover my own skin
like a mask

cheeks are red with sweat and
embarrassment
vulnerability

everything is slower now
you laugh and ask if I’m okay
i am