Two Minus One Equals One Poem by JAMES T. ADAIR

I wanted to show you my work
Three antique windows with broken panes
that used let in the cold
and rattle in their frames

But you didn't want to see
the fruit of my toil
Necessitated by the rise, of late
in the price of oil

You seem jealous of my work
and give no satisfaction
I have to stand on my head
to get your reaction

I stripped each frame
of dirt and paint and broken glass
and sanded all the wood
and renewed it with paint and cherry stain
with all the care I could

I replaced the window panes
with little tabs and caulking
brushed them with two coats of shellac
there's life in those windows now...
I sort of brought them back

But you were too busy to take a look
and never said a kind word
except 'I saw them'
with a glance of irritation
for the moment it took

And I wonder why I feel tired of trying
and even give a bother
You treat me like a brother
or biological father
Inside I feel like crying

you wake up at 11
to drink your morning coffee
and say I've used all your creamer
while I stay awake an nights worrying
when inside I'm still a hopeless dreamer
who still dream of love

You don't see me trying do you
while I seem to now see right through you
but somehow though love is missing
and there's no hugs or kissing
I care about you
but you don't see it

Its been this way so long
we've forgotten what we could be
and I've tried to long I give up making you see
it takes two people trying
to a couple be
and I'm only one with you
just me

So I go back to my work
to try to get us though the coming season
I install a new electric baseboard heater
to keep the basement pipes from freezing
and accidentially trip the breaker
and though we hardly talk
you complain that you have to reset the clock

in the dark basement
I yell up to you for a flashlight
but inside of me
I've lost my reason
I feel as broken as the breaker
like a purpose
out of season

2008 © James T. Adair