there is a girl
in corduroys and a black shirt
staring out of my mirror.

she has her hands over her face.

she won't talk to me.

One whole night we sat and
discussed the song I thought was
about infidelity
listen to the way he says shame I said
she said listen to the way he says penance

later
a long time later
after various betrayals, our respective
deceptions
she downloaded the lyrics and sent them
to me
maybe as an accusation

and I realized the song was about god.

It's just a kiss he said
but when is a kiss
just a kiss?