line drawing on page 8
page 9
7:45 Clock Radio
Joycey,
I know
you hate waking up early
in the morning,
but when my alarm goes off
& I realize you're there
next to me
in our bed
in our house
I get so excited
that I have to tell you
how wonderful I feel
to be really living this life
& no longer dreaming
of fantasy lovers
& fantasy me's
in fantasy places
where I'd never really go.
So I rouse you a little
with my cold feet
against your calves
& my fingers
along your shoulders
& you groan
& I laugh
& the crazy pooch
groggy but rammy
licks you awake
to another day
of working on our house
& ourselves
& all the little routines
that would be trivial & meaningless
if I weren't sharing them
with you.
Rachel Rubin