Handshake

Kiss me, sweet, sickly kisses
kisses of love, longing
and goodbye
One last flirt, one last fling
wish me the best
of what the future brings…

One last ‘always love you’
one throw-away promise
then turn around
and never look back
we’ll never look back

Hold me, safe, tightly hold me
embrace in fear, sadness and regret
One last touch, one final tear
wish me safety
on this long journey
one more ‘never forget you’
one disposable promise
then turn around
and never look back
we’ll never look back at this

Then softly and eternally
wave me gone
let my hand slip out of yours
and wave me on

Never touch, never talk, never kiss…
and never hold
just wave me gone
watch my hand slip out of yours
and wave me on

You kissed me…
you kissed me, sweet, sickly
you kissed me goodbye
and you held me…
you held me, safe, tightly
you held me in this regret
now turn around
and look back…

O, I know you’ll look back…

(2003)

Thanks for reading this very old poem. In 2003 I seemed to be going through a rude awakening that I was no longer a child and this is one of many poems I wrote at the time where I was saying goodbye to childhood.