Slow-Whispered Words & The Landscape of Your Body

Sam Hendrian is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, poet, and playwright striving to foster empathy through art. From writing personalized poems for passersby outside of LA's oldest independent bookstore every Sunday, to making Chaplin-esque silent films about loneliness and human connection once a month, Sam lives to make other people feel seen and validated. More work can be found on YouTube at @samhendrian8658.  

“Slow-Whispered Words”

The first time I told you I loved you 

I was absolutely terrified 

That you’d write it off 

As a sweet delusion. 

But you returned the fragile words 

Albeit in a slow whisper 

To confirm your doubt 

About the chances of a shared route. 

Not that parallel paths are required 

For faraway fusion, 

A distant closeness filled with confusion 

Yet not the slightest dose of illusion. 

We’ve repeated the phrase ever since 

During our farewell hugs 

While anxiously wondering within 

How long it would stay true. 

Well, I can only speak for myself 

And my stubborn sentimentality 

But sentiment aside 

You’ve brought me more joy than anyone else ever has.

“The Landscape of Your Body” 

Caught your smile disappearing 

In the presence of the mirror, 

Programmed to keep hearing 

Every anatomical fear. 

But there’s nothing to turn away from –

Quite the contrary, I must say –

And if I were to try to convey the whole sum

Well, I’d be here all day. 

The landscape between your neck and waist 

Is a sea of curvy ecstasy 

With details no one could cut-and-paste 

And no mere mortal would expect to see.

The angelic sparkle of your inner thigh 

Exudes the nude grandeur of Renaissance paintings 

As your legs and toes join to mystify, 

Causing a series of smitten faintings.

Every inch of you 

Deserves a waterfall of kisses and caresses 

Bathing all the pain you’re going through 

In validation beyond second-guesses.