exit quickly
through back door
at dark
when the patrol has passed
and is passing
our spouses
who heat martinis and stims
to get loaded as fast as we love
or dare to
in the toxic air that is everywhere
and nowhere
and in our DNA
we might as well be unraveling and kicking out
kicking up and out
kicking like danger
kicking like a frog leg
cut above the muscle
just barely enough skin to remain
attached
to a body
this is how we are
two held together by the barest and most painful
of muscle
our hearts pumping
together as we make love:
death in the face,
death in the nose
when we join
and then pull apart
curfew is at eight
spraying occurs every other hour
we must be indoors
we must be
closeted together
we must watch
our spouses load up on lines and booze
we must feed
we must wash clothes
change bandages
and in quiet slips
chase away death outside the door.
