mars in opposition

she had a panic
attack at two a.m.

he held her until
she cried herself to
sleep sometime before six.

a few hours later
he drove to work,
the first thing he said--
‘I want to run.’

the realization he’s
avoiding, the point at which
love ceases to become a
motivating force.

blame only takes him so far,
especially once there’s enough
money to cover the clean-up
if it all goes to hell.

his options are calculated
in cost and ache.

he apologizes for the fall-out,
says he wishes his marriage
was more like mine,
wants to know my secret.

i offer the standard cliché,
change the subject,
& write another goddamned poem.