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Scissors, Hammer, Hoof Pick, Awl

Scissors, Hammer, Hoof Pick,Awl When the woman threatened the son of my husband, I went to the bank. I took out all that I had in cash.With cash, I bought coffee, croissant, tea.With cash, I bought sugar cubes, cinnamon, cream. I bought cheese. I bought pencils. I bought hammocks. I bought land. I had heard about music. I bought music. I had heard about telescopes. I bought five. I had heard that iron under a bed stops a nightmare. I bought scissors, hammer, hoof pick, awl.The moon was a shoulder blade over my shoulder. A starling buzzed us and lifted my hair. I bought salt for cooking, salt for bathing, salt for sleeping, salt to wake. I passed over bills, dirty as hands. Passed through the mailmouth , there was a letter. In the morning, there were threats in the snow. So I bought a poodle. I bought a pashmina. I bought a locksmith’s hour to alter the locks. I bought a train, eighteen wheels and a wooden engine—and I paid for it all with paper. And the son who was six began to sing a whistling tea kettle, telephone song. On every bill before spending, I wrote down her phone number. And, broke, we went home together in the dark. -69- ...