He looked good and had a lot,
So she entered the mirage –
Only, she had failed to notice
Ugliness & lack, inside.
Their mirage turned to a marriage
From hell – especially for her…
Technically, it was not a marriage –
She was not the only girl.
Damn. Had she known before.
Man! Had she shut that door.

Now, things are not as they were
And there’s another… inside of her.
They remain together –
Every day is deader.
Well, at least for her –
He just doesn’t care.
She is black & blue,
Although born to the white race,
With red cigarette marks
All over her face…
“She’s such a good girl”, they say.

“How?! She doesn’t smoke…”, they ask.
They don’t want to dig too deep –
She feels “safe” behind her mask…
Many years ago,
Mum & dad (without a dime)
Saw their ‘once upon a time’…
Very quickly, in one voice,
They affirmed her choice.
They knew she would share the good life
‘Yes, our girl’s a rich man’s wife!’

Only now,
There’s too much drama
For daddy and mama…
And,
They feel like she failed
Because money’s still scarce –
They do get their share, but
they spend & they spend…
She is all alone, except…
There is Another inside of her.

She is finally getting there –
Fed up with sweet little lies
Turned to big & bitter crimes.
She is bound & very tired,
But she can pretend no more –
Keeps on choking on his waves,
But she’s swimming to the shore.
There’s a miracle there, for her…
Husband doesn’t want divorce,
But… he doesn’t really care.
Technically, he is not her husband –
She is not the only girl.

Now, she knows…
A graveyard may look like a park
Until you see its grave stones…
Finally, she’s been hurt enough –
He’s fractured enough of her bones.
Mirage turned into a marriage
Is becoming a memoir…
He will need to find an ashtray
To extinguish his cigar.

Poem from “Love, don’t Fear” – Poetry Collection

During lockdown and beyond, let’s look out for the victims of domestic violence. Their wounds may not be as obvious as “red cigarette marks all over her face”… ♥