rattlesnake love

all day long they sat
and listened to the dog cry bell
and it took until then but then it just was.  clearly:  she saw.

that strong current jumping the gap between sere bunchgrass
and splintered ribs was dramatic.
                      but she's always been like that
and though flashing,
though flamed and rattlesnake
                     she said asshole
the arc was a tremulous, a luminous dust
in shades of driftwood and sad.
                    she left the table and we were just sitting there

she had hoped and it had almost been     
then there was that day spent listening to the dog crying bell.
there was nothing else to be said.