“When I Put Out My Hands I'm Not Holding on to Anything” by Peter Leight

When I Put Out My Hands I'm Not Holding on to Anything

I’m not reaching for right now I’m holding a hand in front of me and a hand behind me as if I’m reaching for something on one side in order to keep from reaching for something on the other I actually think my hands are thickening at the tips or branching out which makes it easier to reach I mean if you keep reaching for the same thing honestly that’s when you need to use your imagination personally I’m placing my hands in front of me in order to introduce my left hand to my right hand as if everything I’m reaching for is related to something else I’m reaching for like a family of reaching or an extended family do you see what I mean? Not even waiting for anyone to take my hand or hand me something nobody’s telling me to hold on or hold still it’s true there are times when you reach for something you don’t even care about when you need something to hold on to recently I’ve noticed that my hands are expanding at the tips branching out like an antenna I don’t think there’s anything wrong with my reach

Peter LeighT

Peter Leight lives in Amherst, Massachusetts. He has previously published poems in Paris Review, AGNI, Antioch Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, New World, Tupelo Quarterly, Matter, and other magazines​.

Headshot: Margaret Bruzelius

Photo Credit: Staff