The Fog

1.

Holding her lipstick

motionless in her right

hand, she admired the

way his muscles laid

across his shoulders.

In the shower he set

the dial as hot as he

could stand it.  He took

the soap, building a lather

with his hands, spread it

over his entire faultless

body.  Then, reaching for

a towel, he watched her as

she put on her earrings.  

Her hair was smooth, roundly

tucked-in just above her

shoulders.  Never a hair out

of place,  Above her breastbone

was a coral cameo.

2.

The sunlight was split

in two.  Above the fog-

ceiling it was a beautiful

day.  Beneath/inside the

light was like putty.  A

white gloom pressed against

the day.  The air was chilly.

The slightest sound seemed to

ring in it.

3.

For him (read her) the morning

glowed.  The fog seemed to

capture the light, made it

opalescent.  Everything was

silent, even though she (read

he) knew the way by heart.  

The fog swarmed, parted like

smoke in a dream.  The entire

whole garden was over-ready

to burst into flower.

4.

The dense fog blanketed

the entire neighborhood.

The fog, like a gray

churning sea, was broken

here and there by the bowers

of trees.  While their red

BMW seemed to float, sail

idly on the white void of

the driveway like a disabled

ship.  Not a light was burning

in either of them.