WANTS TO UNDERSTAND.
She wants to understand
Each word he said each
Intonation to weigh each
Word and take it apart and
Hold it and turn it around
And wonder why he chose
Those words and not others
And pauses taking a long drag
From the cigarette held between
Fingers to look out the window
To see the children still playing
Unaware of the clouds the dark
Descending the broken marriage
Of the parents so soon ending
And why did he choose those
Words? And the way he said it
The timbre of voice and that
Jutting jaw that jabbing finger
The darkness of eyes the ice in
Heart and way of speaking and
As she studies the children out
At play on swing and jump rope
With laughter and smiles and oh
He had said those are mine now
They’ll not stay with you they’ll
Not be pawns in the coming war
And it was all talk talk all jaw jaw
Jaw and she inhales smoke feels
Lungful ease the nose release
The eyes gaze at children now
Innocently at play and the words
He spoke the intonation the voice
The iciness of threats and arguments
And slapping hand slap slap slap
And then she remembers the snap
The thrust of knife from the turning
Worm the faithful long suffering put
Upon beat up knocked down fucked
Up put down all too weary loving wife.
