In the shower
with her clothes on
she shampoos her hair
and black lines spell mascara down her cheeks.
The milky beige
shower curtain
flaps in the steam
and sometimes sticks
to her back.
I scrutinize
from the toilet seat,
and spit my chewing gum between my legs.
She looks over,
a pale gamines tragedy mask
with clumps of purple hair,
black on one side.
I ignore the
confusion there. The lack
of recognition.
I ignore the
watch still on her wrist,
ruined.
Can I ask you something? she
says, sponge in both
hands under her chin, protectively
squeezing sometimes.
Sure, honey, I say
lifting one eyebrow in dreadful apprehesnion.
Whats up?
Why are you there? she
says. I mean, why are you
specifically there? Who are
you?
You know my
name, I say. Its written on your hand.
Oh yeah, she says and looks,
says it a few times
committing it. She retrieves her cigarette from the ashtray on the back of the toilet, water
dripping from her elbow,
a look of faint distrust
and takes a drag,
but the smoke
is wet and sizzles
psst! in the yellowed light
before it meets
her blackish lips.
She seems not to notice
but for
the faint expression of disappointment
and she instead inhales
the brownish vapor of bathroom steam
and does not understand.
with her clothes on
she shampoos her hair
and black lines spell mascara down her cheeks.
The milky beige
shower curtain
flaps in the steam
and sometimes sticks
to her back.
I scrutinize
from the toilet seat,
and spit my chewing gum between my legs.
She looks over,
a pale gamines tragedy mask
with clumps of purple hair,
black on one side.
I ignore the
confusion there. The lack
of recognition.
I ignore the
watch still on her wrist,
ruined.
Can I ask you something? she
says, sponge in both
hands under her chin, protectively
squeezing sometimes.
Sure, honey, I say
lifting one eyebrow in dreadful apprehesnion.
Whats up?
Why are you there? she
says. I mean, why are you
specifically there? Who are
you?
You know my
name, I say. Its written on your hand.
Oh yeah, she says and looks,
says it a few times
committing it. She retrieves her cigarette from the ashtray on the back of the toilet, water
dripping from her elbow,
a look of faint distrust
and takes a drag,
but the smoke
is wet and sizzles
psst! in the yellowed light
before it meets
her blackish lips.
She seems not to notice
but for
the faint expression of disappointment
and she instead inhales
the brownish vapor of bathroom steam
and does not understand.
VIEW 10 of 10 COMMENTS
to totally reverse course, the weather is beautiful and schitzy as always. it was bloody warm (80s at least) until about 3 weeks ago, then a week of rainy cold, then warm again, then christmas chills, now 65ish days followed by 20ish nights. seriously, if you don't like the weather in nc go outside and wait for 15 minutes because it will change. yr close by - sorta - is it similar? i see yr topless, so it must not be too cold. (heh)
fyi, i eat a small paddock of produce every day, so the water chesnuts create no digestive havoc.