He put on his tie
and showed her a home-glow
at the end of a yellowy path-
how could she have missed it,
some wondered

but there were reasons
regarding Fiji mermaids
and flim-flammery,
the likes of which hadn’t been seen
since the gold still held sway

over a cold summer day
that broke after the big storm
like the best spun sugar
in a child’s greedy hands,
sticky and licked clean.