The Cold Glow

We all live in the city
under the gray sky
of cold wintertime
you work two jobs
and dye your hair
come in late
when it's dark
you sleep
in front of the TV
and you grab hold of me
pull me in, kiss my cheek
kiss my forehead,
I bring the pain pills for
your lifelong body aches
yearlong heartbreak
my eyes are a light
smoked up with
humid summer morning
gray as the rain
pale as the cityscape
of last night's wanderings
and I can see her
behind dusty windows
frail and pretty
as I scale the lighthouse steps
from the rose garden
where your lips
are small and lovely
cracked and bloody
what of the light?
surely she will jump
out of her skin
so I leave her to you
perhaps to kiss you
perhaps to love you
perhaps to waste away
she'll be our pain
to bear.