excerpt from First an Image, then Explanations
by Penelope Pope

The Old Couple

The old man sat at the table
and watched the woman
put plates and cups before him.
She made two trips to the pantry
squinted into the blue patterns
when she thought he wasn't looking
to be sure the two place settings matched.
With her thumb, she felt the lacy network
in the bottom of the cup she was careful
to put at her place.

She had folded the newspaper on the seat
and hung the old brown sweater
on the back of the chair beside the window.
Then with her back to him before the skillet
she listened for the butter to melt,
the beaten eggs, the same pale yellow of her apron.
Without looking, she measured salt into the bowl.
Before his right hand moved to his face,
she had turned, she had wiped the salt from her hand,
before he slumped to the floor.

Where Do I Apply

With my experience
The things I know
That I do perfectly
To kiss the thin stretched skin
Fine white hair
Between shoulder blades
To wait for the muscle shift
Then cup a curve of spine
Between my breasts
Where do I submit
My resume
Of unused pages
That I fill timidly
To paint the borders
With ink designs
Unused images
To wait for the tempera to dry
Along a line where
My breasts cupped spine.

"The Old Couple" and "Where Do I Apply" are copyrighted by Penelope Pope and may not be used without her permission.