i always thought it was a tori amos song

it was about wine and stars and canada and i rose

pleasantly drunk from her bed to watch her

singing in the prettiest voice i ever heard

behind that guitar, fingerpicking gently

she insists that nylon stings are easier on her small fingers

and when she was done she stood to do something

and my hand caught on her belt

and the rest is too pretty to write about.

she told me how good i felt and that it was

actually a joni mitchell song.

i missed two trains. when i finally had to leave

i kissed her goodbye in front of a bewildered security officer

and forced myself onto the train. i looked up

to see her standing there on the platform,

smoking a parliament light and still

half-singing the words

as we pulled out of the station, the train

clicking anxiously along the cold metal tracks.