The man’s wife said she wanted
a dog. When he brought one home, she
ignored it. Was it a metaphor?
he asks once
then never mentions the actual dog again.

*

A lot of “eros,”
no sex.

*
 

The author’s wife, who has Alzheimer’s,
eventually forgets who she is—
who is she?
Is she?

*

“familiar but newly estranged”

“a planet consisting entirely of white and dark daisies”

“grown monstrously present”

“observable facts”

“artifact of compensation”

*

The same name spelled five different ways.