House-Sitting/In Joy’s Bed

Months ago 
we woke snorting up 
brown and lime green snot 
We held hands and laughed about it 
lay beside each other in bed 
Took turns soaking the sheets 
with contagious sweat

At the bleating horn of the other’s alarm 
on mornings he or I could have slept in 
Instead, grabbing at the other 
before the day tore away to 
laces undone 
fumbling down Livingstone Street’s steps

Cold feet scalded sweetly on hot water bottles 
sainted long johns 
undershorts worn three days in a row 
piles of clean and dirty laundry on the floor

The first night unpacked 
we lay on the bed 
looked out the window to ocean cranes 
The mattress didn’t spring 
it absorbed our shapes

When he and I were in it 
it was hard to roll around 
so we pressed legs to legs 
licked each other like ice cream cones 
lost hairs in the sheets 
held on while we drifted off