After Science

All afternoon, Susie imagines her goldfish

chopped in half on a wooden board.

three inches long. The neighbors, who never

pull the curtains, frozen in the missionary position and sliced

down the middle, their split sides falling right

and left on the bed, their halved mouths

still open from the last gasp. There are instructions

for you to follow. Diagrams for you

to label, arrows to draw. Know your world.