a very small bed

and a woman said i was
her honey
at first i thought she said
my money
she was a dancer in the big city ballet
until an injury
i worked backstage and could
get into performances for
free
but was paid too little after all
was said and done
she shortened it to Hon
but it didn't matter
she kept getting fatter
as i kept getting older
i said i read my last book last night
before lights out
she asked me what that was all about
and i felt my age
when i tried to turn a page
but turned my back, instead.
we were in a very small bed
she had a very large ego
on the soft pillow
and i should know
it kept pushing me to the floor
where a cat and a dog slept
they both wept
when i joined them there,
yes, sometimes it doesn't seem fair.