Figure 8’s  

a draw from the dark end of a filtered cigar-
ette with a soft hissing inhalation that brings to mind ball-
oons inflating slowly and slow-
ly the deflation accompanying a curl-
ing wisp of smoke. look closely, there, be-
tween those slightly chapped lips re-
sides a moment-
ary escape and the trap-
pings of your imagin-
ation –

a fan-
tasy.

              you-
              andthegirl-
              meldedtogether-
              interlockedasrandomgrey-
              curlingupwardinwreathes-
              likefigure8sthat-
              neverlastlongenough-
              neverendure-
              butremainsexy-
              nonetheless –

the drifting of smoke like fog makes visi-
ble turbu-
lence. she could be talking a-
bout her exboy-
friend and his tryst with her close-
st fri-
end. she could be spray-
ing out her words in hazy drag-
on tails dissip-
ating up near the vents for cen-
tral air. conditioning. she could be re-
lating details on why you are complete-
ly out of the quest-
ion.

and may-
be it’s on-
ly the smoke

or may-
be the wo-
rds

what-
ever it is

it brings a tear to your eye.

© 2006 Michael Appleby