They went quiet

[g_liz_t]

I used to love
to listen to my neighbors
make love Monday
through Thursday
in their upstairs flat
I guess
he must have come home
each night from his
electrical work
and her from the dentist's
office to toss their work clothes into the wash
and lob themselves onto
the sofa
thick with stench and musty familiar love

I would hear them for
5-10 minutes each
night those Mondays to Thursdays
cooing and mmm-ing and fucking and laughing
relieved before I guess they ate lasagna

but it's been quiet the
last three weeks
on Friday and Sunday no one
made a sound

I wonder if they made the choice to leave
the other's laundry in the wash too long
the choice to leave
the beard clippings on the
sink rim or to wear
sweatpants before
9PM the choice to stay in
and not go out because it's just too damn cold
though she wants to go dancing
and he wants to see her
in that red dress

I wonder if they made
the choice not to talk about her mother or
about his or the taxes or the car
repairs or the way the sex has
been the same
5-10 minutes on the couch
four nights a week

I would have been
grateful, I think
but they had to
make choices

============

before thunder
plumes into moan
one senses enormity.
as this is,     it was with you
humbling my obstinate
heart on palm on cardamom kiss
my leaves turn
red, shake, sense enormity
+ fall for you