We humans
are push-animals
when pushed
our natural impulse
is to push back
how long have we been pushing?
back and forth
hard and soft
poke and prod
push and shove
all these years
I thought you were pushing
me
away
with your anger
your demands
your pain
but I’ve been pushing too
pushing quiet
pushing loud
pushing passive
in my own pushy pushy way
and after all this pushing
no one knows who pushed first
or who pushed back
or why
we’ve pushed each other
so far away
that neither of us
can reach
to push each other
one last time