I’m tired, she said, but she meant,
I wish you would make the dinner.
Oh, he said, and he made her a bed.
Thank you, she said, but she meant,
Why don’t you know how to read my mind?
You’re welcome, he said, and went off
to make the dinner.
*
It’s cold out, she said, but she meant,
I wish that you would hold me. I’ll get you
a sweater, he said. She said, Will you
please help me put it on? What
she meant was, I wish you would hold me.
He looked at her aslant. She said,
What are you looking at? What she meant
was I wish you would hold me.