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 ****** of knife from the turning

Worm the faithful long suffering put
Upon beat up knocked down ******
Up put down all too weary loving wife.