Punchline Baby

She texts the punchline–the two-word
message, the heard-
it-first of the bit I’ve been
building for three weeks, the clean
arrival of the ending
before I told it. The bending
of the comedian by the partner
who’s ahead. The charter.

[Chorus]
Punchline baby–she texts the ending
before the comedian’s bending
toward it. She sees the bit
before I do. I commit
to the credit: the better
comedian, the letter
of the relationship: her.
Punchline baby: the blur.

I’ve been with her long enough–
the stuff
of the material is her lens
too, the immense
familiarity of the shared
comedy register. She cared
enough to learn the bit’s direction.
Punchline baby: connection.

The comedian who’s outpaced–
the relationship faced
with the better comedian in the other.
I’m the second-best brother
in the house. The punchline baby
wins. I don’t go crazy.
I take the credit for the setup.
Punchline baby: the speed-up.