Smoke spring stir from deep chasms
Edges of lips spit hurricane winds
Rolling outward to dissolve under gray sky
Such subtle camouflage to cover the speeches of her eye s
She says
“If you would love me, I would unbrick my bedroom
But the mortar in my mouth is sticking these sheets tight round my hips
Would you loosen them for me?”

He cannot come up with an answer
Wonders if his translation was wrong
“If you would love me, I would brick up my bedroom
You bring the mortar, I’ll lay you straight
And stick sheets over the windows to lock out the sun”

He has never been comfortable in darkness
And so lets her finish her cigarette before retreating
She burns down to filter
Which she crushes confused under her heel
Thinks “Who doesn’t want to love with the lights on?”