Bathos
II
Undo the
wooden latch
and you will find a condom wrapper
in the can. On the toilet, I am
an unearthed rabbit. My knees touch,
the tops of my hands are underneath
my thighs. I am twisted, peeing.
The halogen lantern lights buzz
through the paneling. It's an outhouse.
It's not. It is an extra bath
built as an afterthought alongside
a porch remade into a living room.
This house has moved through
incarnations.
I leave. My underwear is wet.
In the glass wall against the lawn
My ass is ensconced in a red trapeze.
I'm not wearing a top.
The couch is where your family leaves
sesame, salt, its crumbs.
I sit beside you, mind the roughage
with no concern for your parents upstairs,
or your dog who comes and goes
through the swinging door. I fall asleep,
naked, and in that phase, dry.
Copyright
© 2008 Laurie Soslow