This poem was recently revised, and due to formatting problems has been re-posted out of chronological order.

The Conjugation of Small Verbs

May 28 2003

Co-habitation

and subtle condemnation

and accommodation spent,

and the conjugation of small verbs -

she comes

she goes

she went.

Incidental slips

and lost initiative

and too insensitive, despite your best intent,

and what you really meant

that went unsaid.

Past regrets

and precedents

and present tense,

and the future as conditional clause;

subordinate to hope

and sentenced to intransitive love.