The Bath
by Joel Oppenheimer

he will insist on 
reading things into her simplest act. 
her bath, which she takes 
because he wills it so. her bath 
she takes to cleanse herself. 
ritual. ritual always 
in his life. she takes her bath 
to ready herself. 
and himself more often than not decides 
she wants him unbathed. manlike. 
what he is most pleased about is 
her continued bathing. 
in his tub. in his water. wife.