Bernadine Lortis

(in double bed, occupied)

Alone, again alone,
beside this snoring lover
calmly buried, bone
deep, within the cover.
Envelope of sleep
for him. And me?
Gallant attempt to treat
hunger for the He
I covet, but when not found,
Jerry-rigged a substitute,
kept trying to rebound.
Like a stepped-down root
makes ever more attempts, tries
nightly for its comeback
only meets more soles at dawn, more lies.
Perfidy of He? No, truth—my lack—
quietly awaiting my own
return of soul, a smidgen of
serenity…instead of waiting to be shown,
tomorrow and tomorrow, love.
Until the peace I search to find
ventures from my core to greet
what it is that I’ve denied,
xactly what should I be willing to repeat?
Young man—you, who only lull me—please,
z-z-z-z-z’s and z-z-z-z-z’s and yet, more z-z-z-z-z’s.