A Woman Who Loves Impossible Men

a woman who loves
impossible men
sits a long time indoors
watching her windows
she has no brother
who understands
where she is not going
her sisters offer their
own breasts up, full and
creamy vessels but she
cannot drink because
she loves impossible men

a woman who loves
impossible men
listens at night to music
she cannot sing
she drinks good sherry
swallowing around the notes
rusted in her throat
but she does not fill
she is already full
of love for impossible men

a woman who loves
impossible men
promises each morning
that she will take this day in her
hands
disrobe it lie with it
learn to love it
but she doesn’t she walks by
strangers walks by kin
forgets their birthmarks
their birthdays
remembers only the names
the stains of impossible men.