STEPHEN O'CONNOR
His eyes were sparkling
But my love was a pig
And he loved me more than he did
He gave me more kisses
Than I ever expected
And then he gave me a kid
When I pushed him under the ocean
That's when my love went away
When the sun sank down in the ocean
And it was the end of the day
When the sun went under the water
That's when the water did burn
And now the water has all dried up
And my love will never return
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The oboist applauds politely because she does not know what to make,
or what is expected, or what to expect. Tim applauds wildly because he
understands the secret meaning of the song. He loves Ava's scratchy
voice. Ava announces mildly that it is time for soup, which is what the
geese are waiting for, and she invites them. Then Ava announces it is
time for bed. She kisses her mother and father goodbye, and gives each
of her brothers a pack of cigarettes and gives the oboist several hot
smooth rocks.
This is the night Ava tells Tim of her pregnancy. Her friend the oboist
can hear vowels and occasional fricatives of their conversation coming
through the wall. Then the sounds of people getting up and sitting
down. Then the hush of limbs crossing limbs and nipples rising and
eyes closing. She sees the erubescent moon and hears her own breath
bursting as she masturbates in the vibrant darkness .
A glass of water is sparkling on the windowsill. The oboist is very sad.
Oh! Oh! OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOh. She dips the tip of her oboe
into the lake and the curtains fly back of their own accord. The moon
does handsprings on the water and taking hold of her oboe draws her
down to the beach where the eight geese are waiting for her with their
soft bulks and prodding bills. They cover her genitals with goose down
and her shoulders with broad wingfeathers. Then as she walks back
under the starlight into the city, she meets the Spanish postman and
forgets her unhappiness. "I am an apple tree living by the side of the
