39 Degrees

A gaping mouth in my refrigerator,
           The big Mackinaw
sunken eyes,
           I could not eat it all
perfect circles
           Tomorrow I will throw out the rest
in its sideways face
           for the garbage men to take away.

The pink flesh flaked sweetly
           I hoard my abundance
off the narrow bones
           I want my fair share
bones like needles.

I stare
at the ceiling, suffocated
by the man’s heavy kisses building
on my lips,
my forehead,
my blank eyes. He wants me
to be what he needs
to fill himself in.

I have nothing to share.

He picks
for what he needs
but cannot take me all,
throws out the rest.

The fish, its stiff body arched,

forty-eight hours, a black garbage bag

           Expectations : how we fail each other

stares through the door at me.

                   the fish,
                   the fisherman,
                   the lake,
                   the lover,
                   and I 

In its deepest parts, the lake maintains
a prehistoric 39 degrees. Watch out! 

“Don’t get in over your head”

                  I want my fair share. 

This is a poverty : hoarding abundance

Karen Terrey