the owl

roll up your sleeves
the woman says,
this marriage
can be saved.
she is an owl
on a limb
in the darkened
woods of us.
her wide round
glasses do nothing
to ease this
notion of how she
looks. we
are  mice in her
claws. trust
and communication,
she says,
respect and love.
she uses her finger
as a small thick
wand. pointing
at me, pointing
at her. you know
it's lost though,
but this what you
do when the boat
sinks. you tread
water until your
arms and legs
grow weary.