New Velvet Hands

Your caring
Deep tissue touch
Covers me
In healing warmth
Like a gentle
Velvet blanket

Your energy
Pure liquid crystal,
Your conscious fingers,
Skin, hair are
Beauty, and yet
I fear you

My body and being
Are not familiar
With such respect
You massage my
Frayed nerve endings
Releasing peace

Tracing shadows of hate
And violence. It is
Unjust: you, kind
Kindred spirit
Become a monster
In an instant

Rendered guilty
By an invisible jury
Of one hundred ghosts--
Perpetrator
Falsely accused.

(4Ac)