getting the ring off

you can have your keys back,
she said, in tears,
throwing them
across the yard through the chain
link fence.
and here's your ring too.
but she couldn't get it off,
trying hard
to twist it. she even spit
on her finger to loosen
it up, but it didn't budge.
her finger had fattened up
somehow, maybe it was the weather,
or her drinking, or
high blood pressure.
I told her, let me give you
a hand with that.
so we went inside and ran
her hand under the cold water.
I rubbed some soap on the ring
and finally it came off.
her tears had dried, and she looked
at me differently in the yellow
of the kitchen.
her hair was everywhere, flying
about,
the door was still open,
the wind pushing in against us.
I should go she said, handing
me the ring. I told her to keep it,
and slid put it back on her finger,
then she kissed me,
gently at first, then harder,
and we made love on the table
after closing the door.

i never did get the ring back.