1.

People said

they seem such a nice couple

 

2.

A few words

thrown carelessly across a bed

set the scene for winter

stretching longer than usual

bleak and off-white days

of snow-filled emptiness

 

3.

She observes

like a bird of prey

as he ascends a stairway

eyes like dusters polishing his shoes

until the flash of pink and white ahead

gets off and walks away

on four-inch heels

 

4.

He likes Rachmaninov

sad and blue, lugubrious

filling the space between them

with cotton wool, gauze bandages, antiseptics

she, answering a withheld number call

casually flips the volume button down

 

5.

She feeds street cats

tops ups the bird water daily

thinking perhaps this earns her

good marks in heaven

he knows heaven is the place

the dog goes when he’s off the leash

 

6.

Love and marriage

someone sang as they walked by

hand enclosed in hand

go together like

hard boiled eggs and salt water