Blackbird an online journal of literature and the arts Spring 2008 Vol. 7 No. 1

POETRY


JUDITH COFER

How Do You Say?

He must select an outfit from her crammed closet. She loved clothes until she grew so thin‚ the dresses forgot her shape‚ and then she forgot them. Once‚ dancing for him in the Mexican skirt he has now pulled out of the dark‚ she began the game of “fast Spanish.” Musica‚ playa‚ la luna‚ el amor. She required him to ask‚ ¿Como se dice? She made him name each garment before she took it off‚ as well as the part of her body she revealed. Fast Spanish. She laughed at his mistakes‚ Zapata was a revolutionary‚ el zapato is my shoe. ¿Como se dice? Lips‚ hands‚ shoulders‚ breasts‚ waist‚ thighs? He chooses the red skirt‚ although her family will not approve. He had not thought to ask if zapatos were also required. He is surprised he cannot think of the word in English. ¿Como se dice? ¿Como se dice? At a loss‚ he lies down on his side of the bed to wait for it to come to him.