Before the end
I married a crippled Chinese girl
with a crippled cat
I met her at the theater
  near the ruins of life
her people destitute
  like rats in the street

we traveled by train
in the rain
in the darkness
without food or water
while the modern engine roared on
I took her to a better life
in a better land
reaching the shore
I took her hand
and to my home
the morning was my horror
my only son ran away
but I had to start another day
by the time another night had fallen
my sisters came calling
and together we all rejoiced
then my son returned
with his crippled cat
and we all donned red dresses
to hide our mangled legs
but we could not join the cast of life
so we huddled on a street corner
all alone together

when I first saw her
reflection
in a broken window glass
she was applying red lipstick...
she turned to look at me
and her lips were yellow
  she didn't know
I was dead to the world
I only saw her face
but I knew she was an angel
her spirit, her soul
saw me as a god
...her savior
...but that was she
she lifted my soul
as we traveled on that train together
for forever
in the rain
but lives survive
our children came and went
all in all, it was good
we squandered life together
living together
alone together
until forever