the glances at rival brocade
belie the seriousness of bringing
a matter to one’s attention
which unchecked may further
limit one’s future happiness

to an individual with a single purpose
what else can come to mind
her own flirtation bloats
and what explodes or what relents
in response to her waggle of fingertips
true the setting is provincial but
the families don’t feel small to
themselves or their bank president
impulse toward gain
softening of ideology
a few teardrops fall and it’s decided
wake up on time and practice a hobby
a drama of manners where no one
is rude quite apart from differing opinion
factions exist but tempers are mild
men’s health however enters unclarity
he must not be made anxious in the
slightest a task put to a girl to enforce
who has weighty anxieties already that
must now become secret and how will
keeping secrets suit her
charge of protection
to keep watch of a strange stuffy man
she’ll keep the task
and the men’s sensitivities will all outgrow
a certain couch in a certain room
with dust motes in what light gets in
full of unread books she’ll curse the full
contents of the house before long
to an eye dead to collars and ornament
a heart wanting a worthy of depth