Longing

He has a one syllable laugh
that is released like a sob 
for it gives him relief 
as it escapes from the back of his throat, 
and breaks 
his sentences in half.

Wringing his hands,
he speaks with soft sounds
and his words slide through the air
like her fingers slid through his hair
leaving impressions of a past
and nothing to hold.

And so his hands are clasped as to obscure the fact
that they are empty.

Susy Liu