He bought me because he’d been her hero,

Getting rid of so many mice in her apartment,

Rapid heart beating, blood pumping, quick twitch mice.

I was the one that she didn’t have to be afraid of.

I was there when their love was young—

Rapid heart beating for him to get home from work

Blood quick kiss.

What happens to love as it ages?

Age has taken away my ears,

But I can still see

Sometimes you don’t realize how bad the odds are stacked against you—

Just look at all my brothers

who weren’t smart enough to be wooden.