drive

There is the long silence
when we meet
breaths taken
and those looks
long and slow
Both will-
to be
what will be.
There is the heart
aching
the twitching of
the knees at
the fidgeting of hair
those soft young fingers
of dawn
stroking curls.
Past that
the dismissing, the
expunging of buttons and snaps
those swishing of hose and zippers
mingling with whispers in the night.
As the last yeilds to floor
there is no more vanity
there are only truths
those paved realities
that drive us into bedlam.

during a freak misogynistic moment
(or)surrounded

in the grocery sto'
at a Kroger
there was a fifteen minute line
to the clurk
which'uz
all due to a woman
who'uz arguing about the prices.
Somehow
it all reminded me
(pauses,looks around and whispers)
of marriage.
My grub met me at the cashier
on a wide-o rubber belt
then she rang the items up and said
(through her nose)
"That'll be six-0-4, please
would you like a bag for those?"
and I thought seriously fer a second
then told 'er
"No thanks
got rid of a bag
about six year ago
and-hadn't wanted one since."
She replied, "Huh?"
So-I gav'er the money
turned and smiled at this chile
who'uz...
escaping from her cage behind me.