He watches the way
her skirt twitches at her hips,
long long legs
and the sway of particolored curls.
She’s a monster when she’s on something,
when she’s got it in her teeth
and she says I don’t have a problem
but we all know that all it means
is I won’t admit it to myself
in front of you.
She’s gorgeous when no one is watching,
when she is alone,
when she is working.
He watches her with a hunger he won’t say,
fairly certain it isn’t wanted,
isn’t returned.
She sets the world on fire with her stubborn ways,
and he steps back to let it happen,
then steps forward again,
to let himself burn.