Holiday

Something had changed as she slipped into
everything else & to be certain he left
the room with rich carpets & strayed
on the bare tile floor out to where
the lizards are. Their flicking tongues
like lasers between the rocks.
It was true. There was no magic there,
no recovery of the first-seen
first-tasted miracle of love, no crazed
hand-clapping of soul set afire.
Just the impertinent reptiles,
scissored glances with nothing exchanged
& rain promised for the end of holiday.
From the courtyard he saw her
shadow eclipsing the window;
& he stayed.