his gift

A voice, female, feigning familiarity at 2am
         Breathes deeply
My name is purred, then oozes down the phone
         Licking at my ear

'He had an affair with me, did you know?'
         The question hangs
Like the sword of Damocles over my head
        Pendulously suspended

'Did you know?' she insists, more urgently
           Hinting at despair
Intimidation dressed as intimacy and innocence
          Hiding cowardice

You are drowsy from sleep and touch my leg
           Playfully distracted
I place the phone on the sheet between us, and say
          'It's for you'

Your hand tenses on my thigh and on your forehead
           A vein protrudes
'What do you want?' you hiss into the phone
           With a strained voice

You look at me through hollow sockets
Where your eyes used to be
I see the windows of your soul turn from blue
To lifeless grey

This scene unfolds before me, I am
A spectator to my changing life
Her slurred accusation sits between us, taunting
            With a lopsided grin

My question rises and lingers unspoken
            Between us
I watch your mouth struggle to form the word
           YES

At the same time a howl erupts from me
            NO!
You cannot deny your betrayal or hide your shame
The genie is out of the bottle

It rises above us mocking, menacing
           Baying for revenge
It flowed from her, saccharine soaked strychnine
          Suffocating me

Permeating, plucking, pulling at my heart
          I cannot breathe
Reaching into your body you rip out your heart
         It pulsates with light

Without speaking you extend to me your gift
          Of Life and love
With your other hand, you replace the phone
The genie is back in its bottle

cherrie