A gentleman will clamber

upon her fifth floor balcony

vault a chaise longue

and purposefully stride

into her brown study

all black suited asperity

 

she will feign to ignore him

and rather talk in asides

to the familiar on her shoulder

of succulent fruit and sultry jungles

thick lush furs of the frozen North

the abrasion of falling water

 

never ceasing to cook and sew

to knead and bake

to wind and weave

and polish her tales to perfection

 

his eyes may whisper imprecations

his tongue flick lightly

and thin manicured fingers

seek solace in petting

some unconsidered itch

 

she will talk in asides

to the familiar on her shoulder

she will not cease to cook and sew

and polish her tales to perfection

she will not cease to talk

 

of figurines of porcelain

orchids and chrysanthemum

velvet and vermilion

the timbre of grand pianos

and the ubiquity of moss