KARYNA MCGLYNN

CALIFORNIA KING

Behind closed doors, he bores me.

His frank, functional sensuality

lumbers across the too-big bed

like I am not Goldilocks, like I will

not leap up or eat up his lukewarm

porridge, not clutter up his cutlery.

Now knifing— Now forking—

His utility ululates me, strains me

of stupid, so what do I care: mouth

full, brain blunted, body a wrung

knee-sock on the chair-back. Wait.

My whole world smells of marinara

& strife. See me spread butter.

See me spread eagle. See me keep

pleasing this rubber republican dick.

He talks dirty in fleece, but I bleat:

Have some almonds & cream sherry

O yes cream sherry! He shushes &

solves for X. Big teddy bear! Eyes like

flat buttons sewn-on & so what?

When I put my finger to his stitches,

he’ll spill his Right Stuff on my runway,

touching secondary sex characteristics

like spots on some Twister mat:

right breast yellow, left testicle red,

another flick of the spinner? O sure.

In his Kingdom of Bore, how richly he bores me,

he bores me, he bores me!