It’s like this: a girl comes
and sits next to you,
flashes her teeth like a lioness.
You give her a glass from your heart
The first drink and we’re all smiles,
you’re unsure. This all seems
familiar
she asks for another. You pour another.
She’s a little drunk and
you’re a little drained
running out of tricks,
anemic in your plays
The third drink does it,
she’s giving you the eyes
that say ‘come back to me,
pour yourself in mine’
by the hand we go
facing sunrises with trepidation
into cheap hotels
without reservations
clothes slip off
well-oiled by your tongue
and your heart becomes
a little more undone
in morning facing dawnlight
she begins to see
received all you could give her
she begins to leave
Before you can start
to talk of love (and the part
from which she drank so heavily)
she’s gone, you’re naked—now
Empty
the lowercase life 