the new rug

I never know if you're joking
when you say something,
she says to you,
as you nod and say something
cryptic like,
what is this, the Spanish
inquisition?
or can you imagine a world
without the color blue.
just say what you mean,
she says
quit being you.
be me for once and tell
me how you really feel.
you're asking for trouble,
you tell her,
smoothing down your
shag rug with your socked
foot.
I hate this rug, you tell
her. i'm getting a new one
tomorrow.
i'll never see it she says.
i'm not coming back.
but just out of curiosity,
what color?
blue, you tell her. blue,
which is how i'll feel when
you leave.