Strawberry Hard Candy

He goes out to buy the wine

Details are insignificant

I said red, but I prefer white

"Not too sweet, not too dry."

"Will it make you happy?" he offered but not a wet eye

As I inscribe the lifeless rituals of my heart onto my paper thin spine

I can only be so generous

And so I reply with a look of mischief

Flickering his light with a smile

Tub I float in

Shoulders soaked in

Chemicals with water

Bones they ache, breasts by the month very tender

Contemplating how to contribute my patronized wonder

Make it worthwhile, swirls of patchouli bath bombs fizzing in every thought

Submerged like a mermaid, but tangled in the seaman's net so is her heart

Is it at all possible to not be self-loathing

Ha! A poet in denial...

The sun sets, feeling useless

World is spinning, feeling nauseous

Olive without its pit

Snow days brought about strawberry cake

A cardboard house

She brings coloring books to the waiting room, but all I can do is wait

Snow days brought about rounds of chess by candlelight, sleeping child by our side

And threats of "leaches," she is improvising her suicide

But why?

The water drains, a porcelain gulp to the sewer

Take the content and cement it when wet

To the happy dreams of a woman who refuses to believe she has grown, she grew

And now is lost in her thoughts of what to do

The whining, the whining!

Diffusing yellow paint from my pores

"Acid is acidic," chalk it up to the drawing board

Sick all of the time-yes! "That is why I can't work!"

Yellow, yellow

Burnt, seeping leaking guts!

My physical anguish bears the burden on us all

The trio sings their psalms of anger throughout the corridors

Cope king master

Strong-willed, now the hook is bent on the door

"Discipline" they mutter

She screams "SORRY!"

But all I hear is "I want more"

I want more

I want more

The neighbor turns up his TV

Lives on the second floor

After getting his share of red wine at the store.