38 degree heat wave,
we seal the back door

from the dust; silica
from cut stones; the orange cat

is killing baby rats again
when he unhinges his jaw,

they fall, run squeaking
across the floor to rest

under the electric heater
Dead rats: things I need a husband for

My goal this year
is to learn to drive a car

I drive from Tweed to Pakenham
Just follow the white line, white line

I still don’t trust myself on the turns
not to touch the thin metal side

of semi trucks when
They curve around hot hayfields

I’m waiting for my phone to die
On top of the magazine that reads

Fall trend report

2.
Thought of a great joke
While having sex

The drapes drawn
a/c on, we decided to forget

the to-do list and drive to Inisfil
to the beach. everything takes longer

in a heat wave, except my hair
dries in 3 minutes

How long is
too long to keep the cat out?

3.
The Financial Post headline reads
“Loonie’s Ascent Not Over Yet”

My nails are chipped Cloud
Yesterday we took

our bathing suit bottoms
Off in Lake Simcoe

While Alex talked about Mongolia
As a safe haven from relationships

how she hasn’t found
love so she’ll find the
world

More ambitious, anyhow

4.
I’ve become somebody
Who works out

T.’s IVF failed, she said, between
Leg-lifts and prison squats

Do it Now, don’t wait.
If you’re life won’t be complete without kids

Just figure out how to do it
And do it now.

Then we are told to jump
side to side

Mock boxing punches right to left
With weights gripped in palms

What does it mean that your life
is or isn’t complete?

I bike down Howland on
the turquoise bicycle

Maybe my life would be
great without kids

I think of Lorna and Patrick
How free they are to do hallucinogens in Peru

At the age of 70
Write ten books in a decade

Garden elaborately
They still have great love

Which is more ambitious anyhow