I can tell it’s coming on
the painful walk to the kitchen sink
I do it without thought
and peel my gloves off
one finger at a time

Harlequin romance
dots on the horizon
“I miss you”
I say it and
mean it

I bend over
cleaning the tub
I notice and respond to
cascading spider webs
strung like Christmas
lights

feel better in reflectionskeep up with world events

listen when they talk

nicer to faces in grocery store lines

meaner to policemen up to no good

can tolerate the slowness of children

read the filthy texts about

you-know-what

all of them sitting there

waiting…”when it’s meant to be there will
be no anxiety”
he says