Chimera
Ladyfish
I found myself beneath you
and needing time forced love to you
beside our glass-eyed sea
later lay beside you hearing
wind whittling pegleg woods
and feeling small had become
insubstantial,
knowing we had never happened anyway,
our time a joke
no one would recognize
or laugh at.
Still later when I passed you
on the streetcar, your hand wrapped
in the strap, fingers fixed
in a leather straitjacket, you wouldn't
nod, I couldn't
say hello,
the streetcars started forward
the traffic lights
changed again and no one listened
as the universe shifted gears
then rolled on past my station
and your wintry indecision...
Ladyfish