sincerely, Life

-
sincerely,
Life

 You thought about me on the riverwalk
this afternoon, thought maybe tonight
would be the night to talk
about the way things are—
and when you hit
a lizard with your bike
the blood was the wax that sealed the deal. 

Tonight, you said, I’ll back 
him into the corner ropes, I’ll slug
a frank confession out of him
about why lime-green lizards are crushed beneath
a pavement warm with summer sun, 
why blue balloons float out of reach 
of cotton candy hands at county fairs, 
why night-crawlers live while children die 
on white-sheet sterile cots.
Lying on the kitchen floor, 
your shoulder-blades cold against linoleum tile, 
you glimpsed me in the dusty air
and there and then we fought, you screaming why
and me saying yes/no/both
because that’s the only way 
to say it, in truth.

Then discontent, you went to bed,
four cups of water on your beside table
to try to satisfy a thirst you'll never quench
until you allow yourself to sip
the nectar of paradox.

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