Beginning

by Linda Bamber

Some men

you give them a little wine, a little sex
a little critique of their most
basic personality issues and also
of the pornographically photographed sailboat
they currently think would vault them,
if they owned it,
to a whole new level of happiness

(which it wouldn’t, not with that lopsided
helm)

and they’re done.  They bury their head in your midriff
crying.
“I know you!  I know what a pain in the neck you are!”

Is there anything not to like about men like that?
Exactly what?
Tell me, because I don’t see it.

-from Metropolitan Tang