Gaze, Linoldruck, 1/3, 2023, Nora Templin

I looked twice and found no harm
between my legs and arms and chest
I hugged myself and carried
distilled images of rain and dust-
Enclosed
Believe me-
I bore a thousand depths
A thousand
And while winds chase your gravely gaze
I shook,
determined to withstand,
without a touch
or feverish disguise
You bent
And spoke in his ear-
I found
your gazes as mine
harder still,
unyielding

Nora Templin, 09.04.2023