living

humans beings all of us are
awkward creatures dressed up
acting polite kissing the air by our cheeks
dancing around to cover up our secret sense
of ineptitude

it reminds me painfully
of an obligatory pubescent high school
dance no one quite comfortable in their
own skin trying so hard to behave
as if we are all in charge of our destines and not
terrified of dying or worse, old age

occasionally we accidentally manage
to love or feel an evasive connection
of spirit to another human being who
once had pimples and bras that we didn't quite fill out
or hard-ons and wet dreams

and we stumble we ache trying
to get the steps right to
a dance we never learned and we can't quite touch
our hungry grasping fingertips across

the abyss.