thirty-five.

There are words, perhaps
that can't be used, not until
there's experience to back them.

Or shouldn't, a normative
decision beyond the reach
of most of us. Whichever

it is, I do not write
those words, write around them
speak of sensation but

circumvent the emotion
that might inform the stretch
and pull of fingers and skin.

If I cannot be honest then
at least I can be silent. At
least I can keep that.