Marriage is not br a house or even a tent br br it is before that, and colder: br br br the edge of the forest, the edge br of the desert br the unpainted stairs br at the back where we squat br outside, eating popcorn br br the edge of the receding glacier br br where painfully and with wonder br at having survived even br this far br br we are learning to make firebr br Margaret Atwoodbr br