Turalura she sings to herself, breathing

in, out, him staring into the fireback

numbering his grumbles, his what he now

only wished he’d said then but thought

too late, later, the moment gone.

Turalura, turalura. As for her

the bread she bakes is soon stale,

his side of the bed always lumpy,

her sex cold dry inhospitable, then

his inventory of misery begins, cunt cunt.

Turalura, lureia. She knows the moment

he’s wound himself up and the wire hisses out of him,

taut, barbed, edged, and it’s thereabouts

she’ll go up, go to sleep in her white sheets

mumbling Is there any wonder? Turalura.