The Mandelstam Mambo

Let me tell you about this side of Mandelstam:
he makes love to his wife with a terrible knife,

he holds her hand with the only frying pan
in the whole house, nothing to cook but a bold mouse.

Despues, they memorize his poems, despues,
they make sure the wall is tall,

because the thought police never release.
The Mandelstams put their clothes back on.

He dreams of the Greek ships that are her meek hips
and she snores quietly on the moon next to the spoon.