When I get out
I'm going to ask someone
to touch me
very gently please
and slowly,
touch me
I want
to learn again
how life feels.

I've not been touched
for seven years
for seven years
I've been untouched
out of touch
and I've learnt
to know now
the meaning of
untouchable.

Untouched- not quite
I can count the things
that have touched me

One: fists
At the beginning
fierce mad fists
beating beating

till I remember
screaming
don't touch me
please don't touch me

Two:paws
The first four years of paws
every day
patting paws, searching
-arms up, shoes off
legs apart-

prodding paws,systematic
heavy, indifferent
probing away
all privacy.

I don't want fists and paws
I want
to want to be touched
again
and to touch
I want to feel alive
again
I want to say
when I get out
Here I am
please touch me.

Hugh Lewin