Untouched
(Amsterdam, 2000)
Brother
sprawled at the bus stop
at the feet of the fleeting crowd
fallen
fractured
frozen
eyes fixed on the sky
numb to the cold
amazed by the touch of
one who stopped
got off the bus and ran back
to where you first caught her eye
struck her inside
When the policemen arrived
with surgical gloves
posing polite questions
she stepped back
No, I don’t know this man
I only tried to
I only picked up his
I only held his hand
till you arrived
I only wanted to know
that he hadn’t been hit
or collapsed in a fit
It was neither of these
He did not bleed
in ways that all could see
but that brother was aching
deteriorating underneath
the look of another lost one
clear in his glazed delayed stare
his thickly coated teeth
untouched
week after week
untouched
Brother
fallen in the crowd
frozen
fractured
silent on the ground
Leave a Reply