by Tiffanie Dzietror
Poetry Winner, 2017 VSU Student Writing Contest
Half hugs are like spoilt honey
They leave a bad taste in your mouth after
Half hugs are like jumping into a crystalline body of water
and finding out its only ankle deep
half hugs are like the popsicle with no joke on the stick
half hugs be artificial, half hugs be simulated
half hugs would be a 4D ride at Seven Flags
when the rain is supposed to drizzle down on ya
and instead you get a bucket of water thrown at your face
Half hugs are like two sips of milk left in the carton
When you’ve got fresh baked chocolate chip cookies
Just begging for a glass of milk to compliment them
Half hugs are like a death in the family
Sad and omen-full
Half hugs are like hand me downs
Unwanted and never fitting right
Half hugs are like sickness,
Half hugs are like a cold
Chilly and warm altogether
Half hugs are evil
Half hugs are the devil
Half hugs are everything that’s wrong with this generation
Half hugs are malicious
They’re dreadful and unfortunate
Flat out vicious and mean
They’re heartless and wretched, their rachet, just obscene
Half hugs are hypocritical, they’re sanctimonious and they’re smug.
I mean…if you’re gonna do it you may as well do it right
Or then it’s just formality
And then I’m just another dog
And you can be Awkward and un-serving with the next chick.
So you can keep your ill sendoff, your good guy ritual, your claim to fame.
And we can just not with the half hugs.