What Does It Mean, To Be Touched? Poem by Gabrielle Ciarann Roniyah Baer

No one I know here would say
They don't know what it feels like to be touched.

Maybe lots of folks would say
We wouldn't be here still if we weren't 'touched'

All those who've been here and gone
And some like me, who come and go and come back once again
Know exactly what they mean,
Know exactly what they feel,
Know exactly when and how
Someone sauntered into our lives And touched us all.

Electric? What a cliché! But undeniable.
Exciting? Well, that and more, much more.
Exhilarating? Without question, nothing compares to it,
Embracing? Goes without saying, though g-d knows we try to say.

Explanations are harder to come by;
They can be facile, They can be familiar,
They can be deep, really deep.
It doesn't matter,
they are all true.

We grew together, We found each other,
We found worlds beyond, We found ourselves.

We saw shining wonders, We saw high tragedies,
We saw grand imaginings, We saw our world.

We were moved, We were stirred, We were inspired,
And when the 'touch' goes deep enough,
true enough, strong enough,
We still are.


07/13/02