Classic Poem

People In Sunlight

A man and a woman are sitting
on an overstuffed sofa
in a room overflowing with sunlight,
she in a black bikini,

he in a soldier's uniform.
He takes off his cap and says her husband
was a good soldier.
She crosses her legs and says that may be

true as the sky is blue.
He unpins a miniature flag from his sleeve
and presents her with it.
Sunlight catches the stripes, tossing

them all over the rug like spilled coffee.
Sunlight catches the coffee
table off-guard, tossing
it back in their faces.

She touches her lips to the flag
and says she's hungry.
He fiddles with his buttons
and says nothing.

She unbuttons her bikini and stands
in a block of sunlight, grinning.
He grins, too; it is a beautiful day,
the War is almost over.