el telefono (xr1)

spent too much time
waiting for a ring
after all these years
of drywalls hanging on
above cracking foundation
I would have thought
you'd call on me
waiting in our youth
for the phone call
that never came on time
from dial up to touch tone
I let you push my buttons
the receiver, always you
breathy and hot longing
conveyed through the wires
before crossing far
too many lines
unable to detect my tone
when I said I'd had enough
finally losing the signal
and hanging up the hopes
that kept me waiting
for the ring