Gloves

I made up a story for myself once,   
That each glove I lost   
Was sent to my father in prison   

That’s all it would take for him   
To chart my growth without pictures   
Without words or visits,   

Only colors and design,   
Texture; it was ok then   
For skin to chafe and ash,   

To imagine him   
Trying on a glove,   
Stretching it out   

My open palm closing   
And disappearing   
In his fist.

Copyright Credit: Poem copyright © 2007 by Jose Angel Araguz. Poem reprinted from Rattle, Vol. 13, no. 2, Winter 2007, by permission of Jose Angel Araguz.
Source: 2007