Hiss

Can't recall the time of year

But the cars I could hear seemed to slowly steer

Like they're driving on

Frozen roads

Couldn't say the time of day

But the light through the shades rearranged her face

Into valleys and

Peaks of gold, yeah

Don't remember what she wore

'Cause she stripped at the door, said, "Our clothes look better thrown on the floor

Now that we're alone"

Never even heard her name

But the sound that remains is a mix of moans

With the hiss of rain

On the patio

I touched her shaky thighs, all love-bite bruised

As she sprayed her perfume, said, "You think it's strange

That I'm kind to you?"

I said, "I kinda do"

She said, "There's just so much cruelty

In everything everywhere

When I close my eyes against it

I still feel it in the air

But when I'm in your arms

I could swear it wasn't there"

Never asked her where she's from

But she spoke about love with the lilting tones

Of some foreign tongue

I didn't know

The smell of artificial fruit

Made me think of the maids who would clean the place

Once we left the room

Told her, "Time to go"

She said, "I'm staying for a day or two"

Then she whispered, "You brute, oh, you drunken fool

Don't you try to move

I'll take care of you"

Then I snapped a photo of her smiling naked on the bed

Hand posed for the camera

Like a pistol to her head

Cardinals on the sheets

Flying, always, to the west

Dropped the picture in my suitcase

And I got up to leave

Then I mimicked the expression on her face

As I covered it with sheets

Dark lines from the shades

Put all the cardinals in their cage

Shut the door behind me

Flipped the sign, and I was free