When we Lean Against Each Other . . .

A man on the edge of the bath. A shoe, defenseless
on the floor. Her head wrapped in a towel.
Two arms with a dress in the air. Two dimples in a back.

A telephone with a flashing display: I can hear you . . .
please listen to me . . . I can feel your hands on our cheeks . . .
please feel my hand on your heart . . .

A man on the edge of the bed. A woman on her belly.
An arm, dangling over the edge. Mouth-to-mouth every millimetre
of her back in to life – eyeball, spinning under the eyelid:

a man and a woman lean against each other. The woman tilts her head,
breathes in and closes her eyes, gently presses an auricle to his chest
as if she may listen to the coming of age
of the avalanche.

by Peter Verhelst

Translation: Astrid van Baalen, 2009