WHEN PICNICS AND BOATRIDES AND DANCING SEEM SO FAR AWAY

SHE NEVER SAID NEVER, BUT SHE DID SAY ALWAYS PRETTY OFTEN

THIS IS THE SEVENTH THIS WEEK AND IT'S ONLY WEDNESDAY

HER SECOND ALARM CLOCK ON THE DESK, OUT OF REACH FROM HER BED

SHE WAS SITTING THERE STARING AT THE FLOOR, QUIETLY HUMMING TO HERSELF

SAY YOUR PRAYERS, SWITCH THE LIGHTS OFF AND FALL ASLEEP TONIGHT

BETRAYED BY THE MIRRORS

SHE TOOK OUT THE PIECES OF THE LETTER FROM THE BIN AND PUT THEM TOGETHER ON HER DESK

IN THE BED, IN THE CAR, AT THE TABLE - THE OTHER SIDE IS ALWAYS EMPTY

THE HEAD CAN CONTROL EVERY PART OF THE BODY, BUT NOT THE HEART

GOING TO SLEEP IN BROAD DAYLIGHT, WAKING UP AT NIGHT

IT'S JUST THAT NOBODY EVER CAME TO PICK THEM UP

HER TEARS SLOWLY DAMPENING THE PAGES OF THE RECIPE BOOK

THE BRIGHTEST STAR OF TAURUS IS ALDEBARAN

SHE HAD THE NERVE TO CALMLY SAY GOODBYE AND WAIT FOR THE TAXI

MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS AND EVERY OTHER SATURDAY AFTERNOON

I'M SCARED I WON'T UNDERSTAND THIS WHEN I'M OLD

I NEED YOU TO GO AND GET MY BAG FROM THE PORCH, HONEY

SHE DIDN'T EVEN SEEM TO NOTICE THE RAIN

SHE COULDN'T BELIEVE IT AND ONLY SAID HAPPY BIRTHDAY

I JUST NEED TO BE BY MYSELF FOR A WHILE AND THINK ABOUT THIS

SHE JUST SAT THERE WATCHING THE PHONE, WAITING FOR IT TO RING

EVERYTHING FINALLY CLEAN AND TIDY AGAIN

FELL ASLEEP ON THE COUCH FOR A FEW MINUTES

SHE MUST HAVE BEEN A LITTLE FRIGHTENED, I PRESUME