We sat around the television, watching stolen cable, feeling guilty

about every minute of CNN, of infomercials,

of staticky silhouettes writhing in the dark.

Sorting out the rhythm in the hum,

Searching for ringing,

(dinner bells, ice cream bells);

Useless, we

fled exotic tocsins, clapperless,

hid behind garden gates

imagined, cloud-wrought,

dream-rusted.

Now

When I am with you these places are nowhere and the

deaf mute blind black night

rolls slowly over, I laugh

to feel you ringing next to

me. Know that I am the sirens

and it is of them I choose to speak.