On Seeking Forgiveness, after Simic
Incurable romantics marrying eternal grumblers.
—Charles Simic, “Promises of Leniency and Forgiveness”
The more innocent you believe you are, / the harder it’ll be for you.
—Charles Simic, “Calamity Crier”
It turns out
you’re the grumbler,
I’m the romantic.
But then I grumble back,
defending my innocence
until I find myself
wed to difficulty.
_______________
Carla Schwartz