love poem

we biked down broad as fast we could
caught dust in our eyes and laughed
knowing the storm would beat us home
having said fuck it all lightning wind
the whole bit and we rode into total
downpour—threw my bike down finally
in rush to the door blown wide open
and got in but em’s calling from
outside holding on to the sapling’s dear
life in tears—little charlie brown xmas
tree she’d called it—from being pulled
out the sidewalk in total downpour
go get string! she hollered i fumbled
w/ my wet shoes she burst thru the door
down the basement and back up w/ it
and scissors and i stumble out after
her soaked in dumbness dumbstruck
holding one end of the string in total
downpour while she saves the thing
tied suddenly upright to neighbor’s railing