now that we are in love
there are many
things we do together

one of our favorite
things is to
unzip our flesh

and trade appearances
for a little while

but for this we
usually use
an egg timer

you say it's all right
you say you'll
remember
when it's time
to be ourselves again

but instead you
spend the afternoon
tearing up the hardwood

in search for more
still-life
other than tea
kettle and a pear

you say that still-life
is a way to exist
for all time
just as you are now
just as you'll always be

you do this while I
lay by the creek
hollowing out
pushing
even
tinier pumas
from your vagina

so many in fact
that as each
one exits

the puma at the south
entrance of the
bridge by the creek

the puma without any legs
head or tail
becomes gradually

more deflated
so deflated
that when I am finished
giving birth to even tinier pumas

the puma without any legs
head or tail
becomes a black hole

one that you are tempted
to leap inside of
to preserve your innocence

to be inserted backwards
into the dreary
complications of every day

playful
mournful
and sometimes sweet