Marriage Rite

Eventually

they found themselves at breakfast

silence spreading like warm milk,

toast like tissues

folded into pockets

on the way to work,

he realised first

and swallowed it with spit

before the tube reached Wellington.

It took her longer

nusling taffeta and tulle for affection

shrugging off ribbon wrapped sales assistants

her pink skin in pleats above her jeans

her fingers

faltering at flies.