in serperate tanks

the landscape of my knees
shifted in the raised dirt
where the middle finger
on my right hand turned purple
and i feared it would break off.

until last night. i felt
the sensation of a dream
i'd had with you, in it my face
grew swollen on one side
until i couldn't hear or see.

the money i owed him was missing
but he needed it now
to save himself from crying
and the fish were all in separate tanks
to keep them from fighting to death.