Across a Table
“I’ m glad you’ re positive.”
“I’ m glad you’ re positive,
too, though, of course, I wish
you weren’ t.” I wish you weren’ t
either is the response I expect,
and you say nothing.
And who can blame you?
Not me. I’ m not the one
who’ ll call you after dinner and a movie.
You’ re not the one who’ ll call me.
We both know we have
that — what? — that ultimate date
one night to come, one bright morning.
Who can blame us? Not the forks
and not the knives that carry on
and do the heavy lifting now.