and staring into the fire she felt a warmth below her skin
and she thought of all the words they had used to say
such a simple thing

which still had not been said, and never would be
or had been, as many times as birds rise against the sun
with light glancing off their oiled feathers

as many times as the mailman
stops to check for the dog at that house where the
dog is always and ever salivating for the ankles of mailmen

as many times as the earth ticks around the sun
out of need or habit or love