Eye Contact

We are afraid to look at people

While they look at us.

Afraid their eyes are mouths

And out of ours leaks

Every thought, desire, 

Secret, uncontrollable feeling

We’ve ever had.

Like the dew inside a honeysuckle.

That by looking into our eyes

They’ve already unstemmed us,

That we’re exposed and they will

Suck us up and taste us.

And then, they will spit us out.

All of our worth, our quality,

Determined by the judgment of their senses. 

That they will determine if we are ripe,

Or bitter, or rotten.

Then we remember, 

For them to look in our eyes,

We are looking into theirs too.

And that in their eyes, 

we can see the reflection of our pupils.

That we could use their eyes as mirrors,

Confront ourselves,

Confront them,

And look at each other.