Shomer Shabbos

Give me that hand of yours
With its dry, dishwasher skin
Stretched over every knuckle
And let me hold it in mine,

Thumbs stacked and fingers folded

I've emptied my pockets

And there is nowhere to go

We can walk circles all afternoon -

It's the first clear weekend since Halloween

The sun has melted the icy sidewalks

And now it's thawing our skinny-limbed bodies

Kept warm in the clothes

We borrowed from each other
Earlier in the afternoon

years ago I pictured myself 

hiding in the pantry
eating pudding snacks
and I do hide now 
to catch glimpses of that boring bright light
and occasionally sneak a treat or two
but mostly it’s just respite
from being the person that thinks someone else 
is too much
a room apart makes the heart 
grow

Sonnet (I was rebuffed)

I was rebuffed but not by the lake

it was in my own home (near the lake)

by a beautiful person born about two years

before me, and I was by myself

 

The mirror was there, the piano was there

my friend was not there but I told her

 

Not sure if I should tell her

due to all the rebuffing

between us already, but I said

 

“I just got rebuffed by my

date from the other day.

 

No more dates for me”

“Aww sorry joe joe” she said

“More time for eating soup” said I