Fine

"A cold spring, the violet's flawed"
Wrote Elizabeth Bishop
Cold coffee on the card table
Should I wake you, or shut up?
At least I brought something to read
It's a mystery to me

The button is on the cord
Depress and the current flows
I said "It doesn't work like that."
But what do I know?
I see it flicker on your face
I don't always get what you say

How often you lit the way
When the way was darkening
I don't mean to exaggerate
Of course I had misgivings
But it was always fine by me
It was always fine by me