5/21/2004

I
closed the door
in his face
and locked it
an ineffectual effort
as he
put his shoulder
to the wood
pushed
and
even though
I was holding back
from within
the door gave
and he entered
as if no lock
or resistance
were present
cool
irresistible
no tendency
to viciousness
in him
doing a job
that
had to be done
holding me
struggling
in place
pruning clippers
appearing in
his free hand
I feared for
the painful loss
of
something precious
but when
he held up
a strip of cloth
with my name
printed clearly
on it
the kind of notice
parents
sometimes secret
on a small person
it was as if
everyone knew
myself included
who I was
concerns for timing
laid low
which
made me wonder
in
the thick of it
what
all the fuss
was about.