On the Way to Chevron, My Father
Tries to Save My Life

We are driving to gas up my car when he turns to me.
Says, There’s something I should tell you.
Says, Truth is, I’ve worried it could happen to you.

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Familiarity

The morning after we make
our long-married love,
I make the bed laughing.

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Making You Noise

                        -for my mother

The day before you are deaf
completely, I will make you
noise. I will bring birds,
bracelets, chimes to hang
in the wind...

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Regrets

My husband isn’t sure he wants a woman
willing to undress in public
every emotion that occurs to her...

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Remembering the Girl

He would always remember how blood came
from her body clinging to his cock
like paint. Her cries
he could forget...

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The Yearning to be Supple

Hips are the rain gutters of breath,
my yoga teacher says.
Where in the body, I wonder,
are grief’s rain gutters...

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Watching a Woman Drink in Decay

I have seen you take booze
over and over into your body:
slender neck of the bottle
entering your lips...

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Why I Don’t Drink

Because drink is a man with eyes more ocean
than sky, with wit, whose good humor surrounds
him like fragrance, whose suits sit just right
and don’t wrinkle, who wants to pour himself
into you and brings you books, the right books...

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With a Little Education

This is what became of that homely high school boy with the fine hands and big brain...

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Woman Singing in Church

She is not beautiful.
Is not, in fact, much of any one thing.
Only slightly awkward, slightly heavy,
somewhat made up...

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