Friday

*Background*

Cards down we divine ourselves
between sips of red.

Little has been lived from here
but still, we write it down
for planning is the first step
or, at least, intent.

*Setting*

‘The art of communication,
she begins, ‘is in the cutting.’
Her tone is triumphant,
scars too evident – still,
we laugh a little thickly.

My coffee table is decorated
with glossy paper dolls – hers;
creations she is drawn to in
the idleness of conversation.
‘This, is your story,’ she says.

*History*

When we were in high school,
origami was fashionable – I was
taught to make hearts from used
gum wrappers while other girls
collected stars in jars.

In our classroom, Brad Pitt was
sketched and hung  precariously
off a wall where he was kissed
repeatedly til he was worn.

*Present*

The girls, graduated to chemistry
and staged careers from lounges
in the wings while I learnt to
position metaphors with ink.