DakotaMockingbird

That summer when the soil sprang apart and gaped like lizard skin, like fractured tiles, the air thirsty, snatching—that summer when leaves hung like shopping bags from the arms of old ladies, and flies were fat and drooping—that was the summer the English lamented. How low the pond had got, how dry the earth round the begonias! The undrifting heat, the purring of the fan, the hosepipe ban and suntan cream— how they grated on the English, the poor, contrary English, as they perspired with fixed smiles and sauntered awkwardly in jaunty shorts— and wished with all their hearts to moan of drizzle.

I remember that night you pulled him off of me I thought… I thought maybe I'd never seen anything Anything As beautiful as you Just the way you moved All furious and lovely and wild I remember the way his blood speckled the carpet And there were lights flashing Red and blue and blinding Casting stark shadows against the snow And you were barefoot They had to restrain you When they arrested him You'd already broken his wrist But I think you wanted to kill him I think they thought that, too I remember kissing your knuckles Because he'd split your lip And I couldn't kiss you on the mouth We took you to the hospital afte