my mistress came back
dressed in rain
she smells like rain
she lets the dress fall down
she puts a finger to my mouth
ican’t ask where she’s been without me
a pen is in my hand
the ink is running like the longing used to
she runs her fingers through my hair
she knows where it’s been hurting
she puts her hands on my face and says beautiful man
like no one does
she puts her mouth on my mouth
ican’t ask how long she’ll stay
she’s next to me, lying close
like she never left
like the world never went cold
like inever got lost
she says it gets dark where igo when i’m alone
she says don’t go there
no matter how quiet the apartment gets
no matter how much beauty sees straight through you
idon’t care if you’ve been awake for days, unwashed for days
idon’t care if the mouth blisters won’t let you speak
she’s asleep now
with her head on me
on my chest
with her hands together like she’s praying
like some saint has her dreaming his dreams
i’m touching her hair
running my fingers through
where it hurt
i’m watching the porchlight coming in through the blinds
ican’t ask her why she keeps giving love to me
why she remembers me when i’d forget
her hands come apart when she turns over
it’s later
i’m still awake
iguess the saint’s through
finally
making peace with something in the night
