Bill Cody's poem reads like a quiet moment of private thinking in a shared home. It begins with small domestic damage: the kittens have broken a glass swan and a vase. From there the speaker's thoughts widen into the fragility of the relationship itself. The two of them are on "a narrow edge," close enough to dance around each other's skin, and they have tucked their fears away in the basement with things they no longer use.
The most striking moment comes after arguments. When the speaker has apologized and the two have made love, he sees "deepest into yr eyes." Closeness seems to come most clearly after conflict. The ending turns anxious, though. The speaker wonders who would be left behind if one of them left, and what would be forgotten. The mood is tender but uneasy, with the broken glass hinting that what we love can shatter easily. The loose, lowercase style makes it feel like spoken thought.