vaseline
it was sticky and wrong
sort of odd
like when you get sand in the vaseline or sun-tan oil
they go together
but yet they don't
and suddenly you realize that everything you had thought
was now all disjointed
she had a way of sorting these kinds of things
removing the sand that is
for the other stuff
there was no antidote
and she was no service
but it helped to know there was something she could do
if the time ever came
if those certain talents were ever needed
it had been a long while though
since anyone had called on her for anything
and she waited
under the shade
beyond the shadow
behind the cusp
without an over though she could do nothing
and we had thrown ours out with the bathwater
after he had collapsed into the side of the sofa
it was my orange nightgown he was wearing
and the red curtains had been stolen from a restaurant
what we feared was getting caught
and in panic had placed the curtains in the oven to burn
smoldering instead
they curled fumed and stuck
to the sides and around the grate
there was red everywhere
just like that morning she thought
just like that morning she remembered
just like that morning when nothing could be done
we had to throw it out
the tub followed as an extinguisher
and she had been transported
paris isles greece
yellow tops blocks
she spins
her mind waits
the days disintegrate
and we are left to the right
of someone else's wrong
a tornado's eye
and a memory stuck from sand
