fighting in the first world war
had knocked my clock onto the floor
i've wanted to know for eighty-four years
what's the time and is it the hour for tea?

i must have found some new words now
a blast of air the lips allow
a liquid bridge across the alveolar ridge
so go ahead and burn your dictionaries

i drove through the rain in my blue car
and then i left the door ajar
incessant dinging as the pay phone's ringing
just to say, "would you pull your lips off his cheek?"

i stayed in bed with someone new
for half the day and thought of you
no more stomach clocks and half-broken locks
to-day's the best day i've had so far without you

would you hold the umbrella for me?