DON'T MIND THE MUTT.

A MAN AND WOMAN AND A WARM BEER AND PROMISES IN 1971

Don't mind the mutt
Batel said
he's always barking
I moved into her flat

and closed the door
after me
the dog
was in the kitchen

barking through a wooden gate
I followed Batel
into her lounge
and she sat down

on a white sofa
and tapped it
for me
to sit down too

the mutt stopped barking
but whined
don't worry about the mutt
the worse he'll do

is licked you silly
she said
I looked about the room  
coffee table

a sideboard
a dresser
a record player
and TV

and an armchair
tucked over
in a corner
and a few paintings

on the walls
or prints of paintings
what are you
having to drink?

She asked
what you got?
beer whiskey vodka?
beer will be fine

I said
she got up
from the sofa
and went to the sideboard

and took out
a can of beer
and poured herself
a gin in a tall glass

and came back
to the sofa
and sat down
offering me the can

and sipped her gin
I ripped off the tab
and sipped
the warm beer

my husband's
on a long run today
won't be back
until late

she said
she crossed her legs
the short skirt
got shorter

her thighs got longer
he won't like it
me being here
I said

he doesn't know
she said
he might find out
she smiled

and sipped her glass
all he'll know is
that you came over
he won't mind

after all
you play chess with him
some evenings
she said

don't seem right
me here
sitting next to you
drinking his beer

while he's out there
driving in the long haul
you can always leave
she said

if your conscience
is eating at you
I sipped more beer
she leaned up close to me

her lips brushing my arm
setting me a tingling
my pecker stirred
my body warmed

so who are the paintings by?
I asked
don't know
he bought them

at some cheap sale
pretends he knows art
when he don't know
cat's pee

she sipped her gin
put a hand on my thigh
the pecker lifted
its head

like a blind snake
in a dark room
I mouthed more beer
eyeing her hand

moving up my leg
you got to be
any place?
she asked

I shook my head
and gulped down
the beer
no

no particular place to go
I said
my bed or here?
she said

I like the painting
of the seascape
I said
her hand

unzipped my fly
and the pecker
was building up big
her fingers

introduced themselves
kind of friendly like
I lay back
and closed my eyes

imaging palm trees
greeny sea and blue skies.