Reflections

“Reflections”
By Joseph Hesch

I dreamed we faced each other
through the glass partition, labeled
“Do Not Touch”
in a prison visitors room.
Odd, I’m never sure which of us
is the prisoner.
At first, we peered at one another
aslant, carefully.

And there, mirrored on our own sides
of the glass,
we each saw ourselves reflected,
overlaying the other's image.
We were sometimes attracted
sometimes frightened
at how the other resembled ourselves
from our false angle,
in our captured light.

But, as we’ve moved
closer to one another,
I’ve come to see the
imperfect, frightened,
unreflected you.
And I wasn't afraid anymore.

In last night's dream, you closed
your eyes and drew a breath
to tentatively extend
your hand to me.
Pressing my palm to the partition,
I’ve tried reaching you,
but couldn’t.

Somehow—a promise—
we'll break down this barrier,
together.
No, not to touch one another,
but to be touched.

What do we see when we look at one another?  Are we really seeing?  What keeps us apart?  Are our impressions of one another real?  What about the barriers between us? Do we really want to know the answers to these questions? And, if they were answered, what would we do then?  Really?