Betsy Robin Schwartz

my landlord still hasn't fixed the goddamned kitchen faucet

that DRIPs at a rate designed to make me crazy not fast

enough to flow DRIPs that fill empty glasses but don't make

my dishes wash themselves DRIPs that he tried seventeen

times to stop with wrench and screwdriver DRIPs that make

metronomic music in my sink the landlord's sink DRIPs

that count the waiting waste time money and other resources

DRIPs that a plumber could and would stop if an angry man

lived here DRIPs that hold drops formed in fifteen seconds

except when my cat laps DRIPs drips lap drip drop

she's drinking at the sink lapping at the tap DRIPs that

resume their tune when her thirst is quenched and she's left

the room DRIPs. . .