Mirror, mirror (A poem)

so when he said the thing that he said
she said
something inarticulate, soft, shrinking in reply, because
the blood was pounding in her, face and hands, and she couldn't -

it's all very well in theory; If X, then Y, simple!
I would never let -
I would never do -
Just let them try -

then they do.
they do, and it doesn't come out the way it's supposed to
all the winter doves are on the wing and it isn't
X or Y
or
simple

just like she said she'd never take being yelled at
just like she said she'd write space opera to make a Antarean weep
just like she said she wouldn't tell lies or tell tales or snap at children or

and, yet,
and yet.

- Kathy, 11/6/14