Life as a novel by Philip Roth

CROSSWORD PUZZLES

by Rob Acerra

Photo by Valentina Fontanella

Photo by Valentina Fontanella

love is like a crossword puzzle:
you need to find the clues
in the blank spaces of wonder
that her eyes create inside you.
1 across
is always her name.
2 down, her legs.
the intersections of words
are embraces.
the shaded squares
are those evenings
when you find it hard to talk to each other.
love is like a crossword puzzle:
sometimes it is too late
when you spot that little mistake
(maybe just one letter)
that compromises your success;
this is why it is advisable
to use a pencil
for the crucial moments.
love is like a crossword puzzle:
it’s nice to make it in summer
or during winter nights,
all wrapped up under the quilt.
it can be carried in a bag
or in a back pocket
you can see it fill up little by little
one tiny word a day
initials
the length of a blue
river that crosses
her wrists.