the pattern of patience

The ring could be an alarm,
could be my pulse,
could be that you're serious now,
or that you've had enough,
could be that you know,
that someone told,
that you feel it is your duty to apologize,
to softly set down the heart in me,
could be that I imagined it,
could be you holding the knife,
my hand, the wrist of wonder,
could be we were swirling in
this belly without knowledge,
without apprehension.