His redhaired son and Little Mermaid daughter are asleep

A sea breeze whispers them goodnight

Kashmir

Weaves with cigarette smoke and talk

Out into the dark of the olive grove below

Far away in time


Christos

Family man

Silversmith

Friend

Shirtless we push the wine bottle and conversation forward and backward like chess pieces while

A mantis knits and watches from the warm wall

We’ve agreed that Sotirios Kyrgiakos has settled well with Rangers

And what the thing about women is

Sheila at his side tuts in the Greek way that has become her

Fans herself

Strokes his leg

That Independence Day is Philip Roth’s best novel

Sheila and the mantis both look up but say nothing

That sometimes you just wish …

Then as a dog barks somewhere out in the night

Stalemate.

Was it Ultravox or Martha and The Muffins?