Coming Home After a Bad Blind Date.

Goodwin, Jane Awde

Coming Home After a Bad Blind Date

   All the bottles of cream and mousse and spray
   are still sitting on top of the toilet
   the light switch is still on the left
   there's still
   carpet
   there's still
   tile
   there's still a basket of clothes
   made of all the same fabrics
   the room is not colder or hotter
   the coats are still on the hooks the cigarettes
   still in the bag.

   There are still four dusty margarita glasses sitting on a shelf and
      a yellow phone
   the ashtray has the same weight nobody moved the pictures
   there's still white paint on the walls and a magnetic strip with
      postcards
   the dishes have the same ridges the banister still has a dent
   the earrings are laid out like they always are the boxes still have
      corners
   the backyard feels the same that tree hasn't grown that hole hasn't
      deepened
   nobody's burnt down the shed the same people are sleeping upstairs
   the bed has four pillows and two sheets the doors all close the
      same
   the lights don't look any brighter the taps don't flow any faster
   the sweaters don't drape differently on the hangers the air goes
      through the same vents
   (this is the problem with wanting) all the bottles of cream and
      mousse and spray
   are still sitting on top of the toilet the light switch is still on
      the left
   there's still carpet there's still tile there's still a basket of
      clothes
   made of all the same fabrics the room is not colder or hotter
   the coats are still on the hooks the cigarettes still in the bag
   the copper still on my eyelids.