For when the heat of embers rise
secretive beneath birth's bed
or burn inward through met eyes
to hands withheld beyond cuff's end
Just as a collared dog may snarl, toothful and hackled,
emotion's pulses surge to hands upended
as same as bound by shackles
unsurfaced, unread, unheard, unopened.
To release passion's simple lock
requires no key nor combination
for hand's end unties the knot
by mere touch at hand's origination.
