[I am teaching my son the art of touching]

I am teaching my son
                          the art
         of touching
                                 a woman
or man
                  
he could use a subtler 
                                        stroke
         with the dog
 
                     the way his fingers
                                 scurry
across fur, wrench
             an earflop into
a cinch
 
           he puts his whole
                        palm
 
on my scalp    
                         then rakes
              through, yanks
 
(no thought of nerves
             and their ends
                          roots and their 
                                       links, just
connection)
            
I flinch 
             urge 
                         gentleness
 
as he pulls 
            me forward
 
inhales
                     my face