her house is like all her houses
stacked boxes stuffed
with treasure and tulle
sparkling, overflowing
shelves full of
paperwork and good snacks
mostly well-labelled
the smell of good cooking
and pots soaking
slightly too long
on a hot afternoon
I’m so well catered
I don’t care
the white noise
of aircon
and water in
green glass, covered in cartoons
her teeth beautiful
even
lip like a falcon
is that
good breeding
and stockinged feet
are always acceptable
here
am I too keen
a mismatched cactus, pyjama queen
wanting more, more
a scene
half forgotten
play it cool
knowing this can turn
sultry, salty, mean
the swoop
of her Egyptian eye
laser, sharpened
shimmerfear
hair’s breadth moment, us
and… still
breathe
we orbit her
dancing, ducking, bowing and
studded about
like cushions, like cats, like acolytes
adoring
pleased
to be seen
clairevetica 