you said is this a joke
i said come on now
you know there’s nothing out of words
to be tied upon a float on down the river
or a casket down the road

you said are you but sure
that i’m the only girl
i said, woman, you know that you are
and there’s something about the tiles in the bathroom
that floor me
for the carpet hugs the walls
and whispers gallantly with judas
there’s a rainstorm
out the window; let it fall
and make me shudder toward its sound
upon the rooftop
thick as steel as ashes fall
from the fireplace

take apart the winter
and dream of spring storms