back in the ussr

I fell in love with a woman
from the Ukraine once,

online, of course. is there another way
to meet someone
these days?

she was beautiful. long blonde hair,
blue eyes.
high cheek bones.
lean and healthy,
a model in the tall wheat field
with a cool
sun
shining down upon her angelic
face.

she was holding a kitten against
her breasts.

I be smitten with adoration.
she didn't seem to mind the forty years
in age difference, nor did I.

she told me she was in love with me.
that her whole village
was excited that she had finally found
the man of her dreams.

she couldn't wait to fly over
to meet me and to hold
my hand, to be my one and only
forever more.

I had a spring in my step.
my heart was beating like a rabbit.
I carved her name and mine
into a tree in the woods,
I made wedding plans,

cleaned the house, changed
the sheets.
I told all my friends about
her,
how wonderful she was,
I told my family.

I was seeing stars, hearing
wedding bells.
I was on top of the world,
walking on sunshine,

then she called me collect,
from the airport in Moscow,
after her village gave her a rousing
sendoff,
and told me that she needed some money,
a mere
nine hundred and seventy six
dollars to be exact,

sent from my personal bank account
into hers,

as soon as possible.
please, she begged, just this small
amount. I am ready for you. I will
hop onto the plane this minute
just as soon
as you give me the numbers.

dang.