Oh How I Longed

How I wanted embraces then, and how far I was from embraces
Then; embraces were far distant, lying on the grass,
Stroking caressing a well-scratched
Head of a dear one, eyes of a dear one, and oh how lips met
In embraces. The tenderness flooding through hearts
Beats only mine, like raw, an organ hung
To the wettened flaps, the flopping meat,
Much moistened veal. But oh how I long to
Feel every tenderness, every touch of finger-tips,
Warm when hot, and irksome with sweat, and how I lived
Through embraces – embraces with words, scattering across
The ear like the sweet, smooth sliding fingertips, and how I longed
To either join in or write it all down, distant and alone in embraces
Of only sound. Oh how I longed for embraces, either to run my hand
Across a well-worn, flat-skinned belly or else, to, touching pink and tender skin,
Be touched in turn; and oh how I longed for embraces – the whisper of grass
On the glands, the press of moving legs, and hands, yes, hands
Yes, how I longed for embraces.