Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Katherine Gallagher

THE AFFAIR

THE AFFAIR

THE AFFAIR

He had a way of looking at the clock
when he arrived,

while undressing. She never
looked at the clock,

knew he’d leave
after an hour or two

and his fetish
was a way of letting her understand

he’d be home
as usual, for dinner.

Still, this was safe,
they could go on for years —

wait, phone-call, visit.
Not enough, but it was something.

How little, she realised one day
when he sent her flowers,

remembering her birthday
and she cried.
Close

THE AFFAIR

He had a way of looking at the clock
when he arrived,

while undressing. She never
looked at the clock,

knew he’d leave
after an hour or two

and his fetish
was a way of letting her understand

he’d be home
as usual, for dinner.

Still, this was safe,
they could go on for years —

wait, phone-call, visit.
Not enough, but it was something.

How little, she realised one day
when he sent her flowers,

remembering her birthday
and she cried.

THE AFFAIR

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Partners
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