Three Words Poem by Mahfooz Ali

She pronounces three words like a threat.
He stiffens, refusing the cue,
resisting her sentence of debt.

An echo's report is not true.
She wants the return of the gift;
he stiffens, refusing the cue,

the silence a widening rift;
her words on heavy airs hover.
She wants the return of the gift,

attends the three words from the lover.
He turns, now bitter, not playing;
her words on heavy airs hover.

Three little words he's not saying.
She takes the words wordlessly back.
He turns, now bitter, not playing.

He knows that he owes her, in fact.
She pronounced her three words like a threat.
She takes the words wordlessly back.
He's resisting her sentence of debt.