"so i'm wonderin" tom said sat at the foot
of the bed where his friend stared up
in half belief and still shaking sleep
from his field-green eyes "how the farm been
while i was away last week" tom narrowed
"ornery cows, but uneventful most, tom what—
it's the middle of the night, wh-"
"and friday, the grain you were to sell?"
"deal fell through, just like i said.
right pain in the ass, haulin all th-"
"last time ya kissed her we warn't even steady
an i cleaned your clock, thought we was done with it"
tom played the handle of the shovel he had brought
"tom" a storm across his eyes, the lightning of panic
"don't you be believin that wife a yers,
tom you know she's got a serpent tongue"
"but she had the eyes of an angel,
an those can't lie to save emselves"
"tom what'd you do?" thunder
"i done my judgin and now's for the lord,
as he sees fit. too late for tongues, friend"
"tom but yer kin! yer poor babies, h-"
"they're past the age a needin a mother.
an plenty o upstandin women out west
lookin for a family that ha'n't one"
a sudden wind
"tom please, i'll disappear, gone"
"you came into my bed, so now i've come into yours.
we's men now an i been workin fields
not fixin timepieces"
"tom i can make this right. i'll work for nothin"
"your price ain't earthly anymore" tom stood
the sky breaks,
downpour