“With anger spreading in the chest
To guard against a vainly barking tongue “
– Sappho
With anger spreading in the chest
To guard against a vainly barking tongue
I tried, My Love, I did my best
To croon the words of light that must be sung
They fell upon your deafened ears
Which set a rage to sweep my heart with fire
Hysteria is born from fears
That tangle in the roots of all desire
We tumbled down an awful well
And cracked the very spirit of our bond
There’s no way out but through this hell
And through it we did go, for far too long
In the end, not much was left
We parted all our properties, our lips
I stood upon the shards, bereft
In disbelief how it had come to this
It took my all, My Love, to bluff:
To keep my person light, the dark at bay
I’m sorry it was not enough
I’m sorry that I don’t have more to say
(2020)
