The Shallow Ends
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grip (n.)

4/18/2019

 
                   by Levi Todd 

Old English grippan "to grip, seize, obtain " (class I strong verb; past tense grap, past participle gripen), from West Germanic *greipanan (source also of Old High German gripfen "to rob," Old English gripan "to seize;" see gripe (v.)).

knowing that this       is likely the one time        ever
   that me and a new        strange man who I do not wish        to befriend
 or belove        will touch        I feel a certain guilt        when the inevitable failure
happens        the potential intimacy dropped and floundering
   on the floor like a gilled thing        i rack my brain for the index
of handshakes        tattered and fading        my fingers
   slipping through holes        this unspoken treaty requires
we both read each other    estimate what kind of men
   we are        if at all        whether to extend hands and tersely shake
distance kept     or rather    to clasp palms    wound
       against the thumbs        and slip into fingertips      or perhaps
   just clap and bump knuckles        i’m telling you
they want        to know        whether i am one of them
   and what kind        which ranks i march with        whose allegiance
i pledge          and i have no answer        the proof is in the fumble
   still        i would like to give this moment        the chance
      it deserves        we could make it work        i think
i think we could        but        there are so many options
   and knowing which one        to pick        like the rosiest apple
from the bushel        would require me to get to know        them
   enough to do this        ​a second time








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​Levi Todd is a queer poet and lifelong Chicagoan. They serve as Poetry Editor for Tinderbox Poetry Journal and as a relationship health educator with youth. Levi’s work is published in Pinwheel, Cotton Xenomorph, Glass: A Journal of Poetry, and elsewhere. Read more of their work at www.levitodd.com or say hi @levicitodd on Twitter.
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