my darling,
she loved the way a word could whip her
around in the other direction
those three simple letters (B-U-T) spelt out
endless possibilities for her

and she told me -
last night over the telephone, excitedly in a
whispering sort of way (because she wasnt allowed to
use the phone, still, calling me was a real emergency)

"do you think,
if i do all my homework and be nice
to everybody, that tomorrow,
he'd be okay?"

i was going to say no, that he'd
never be okay - i knew the truth and she
didnt, wouldnt, couldnt - because she'd never
be alright if she found out.

(she must have sensed my
hesitation because then she added,)

"-but."

so i said "yes",
(and hoped she'd forgive me
for not telling the truth.)