Tuesday, December 16, 2008

The Breather (by Billy Collins)

Just as in the horror movies
when someone discovers tht the phone calls
are coming from inside the house

so too, I realized
that our tender overlapping
has been taking place only inside me.

All that sweetness, the love and desire-
it's just been me dialing myself
then following the ringer to another room

to find no one on the line
well, sometimes a little breathing
but more often than not, nothing.

To think that ll this time_
which would include the boat rides,
the airport embraces, and all the drinks-

it's been only me and the two telephones,
the one on the wall in the kitchen
and the extension in the darkened guest room upstairs.

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