For Better for Worse...

Gold cherry
Poem of the week

By Silver Spun Sand

Sun, 09 Feb 2014
  • 7327 reads
28 comments
 
Can I complain?
 
He puts clothes on our backs,
a roof over our heads;
 
listens when I tell him
everything’s crap
with the world.
 
Makes great coffee.
Massages my back when it aches,
 
so can I complain
when he beats the shit out of me?
 
He never means it; says
he’s sorry.  It won’t ever
happen again 
 
and he’s dead right.
It don’t …
 
until the next time,
 
but only because I broke my word
I wouldn’t let him.
 
Maybe I’m as much to blame.
 
I should resist more strongly. 
 
Fight back
when he clamps
both my wrists
with just one hand. 
 
Except
 
he gave me my children.
Put rings on my finger.  
and I promised to love him,
for better or for worse.
 
So, can I complain?
Like hell I can.  
 
Only, I won’t.
 
Where I come from,
nice girls, don’t.
  
Certificate 18
Poem

Comments

Submitted by Mark Say on

Simultaneously horrible and excellent. It stands out for me because of the simplicity of the language, the complexity of the emotions, and the fact that it's highly credible.

Well done Silver.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, Mark.  Appreciated.

Silver

 

Submitted by VeraClark on

You do pared down and direct just as well as the more elaborate. Brutally ripping.

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Your thoughts, as ever, mean much, Vera.

Tina

 

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Tina

Very powerful poem. So much said so simply, and all so sad. That old marriage promise comes back to bite. But I don't really think that is what they were thinking of when they said, "for worse".

 

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks for reading, jean, and for sharing your thoughts...and your last sentence, sadly, right on the nail.

Tina

 

Submitted by hudsonmoon on

Downright gut wrenching. Damn good here, Tina.

Rich

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Rich - thank you.

Tina

 

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

this is one of your best Tina

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

insert - your time and trouble in reading, and sharing your thoughts, always means a lot to me.

Tina

 

Submitted by jolono on

A hard read but a great read Tina. Emotions flowing through the whole thing. Excelent. 

 

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks, jolono, so very much.

Tina

 

Submitted by Bee on

Hi Tina.

You managed to get that self-blame thing in there. Others wouldn't understand - might look down on someone who allows themself to remain in such a situation, but it's always more complicated than that, and your poem brought so much of this to mind. For the most part there doesn't seem to be an excuse to get out, or sufficient funds available to afford to do so. It's often a matter of managing the situation and hoping for the best...

Great poem.

Bee

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

You got it, Bee, unfortunately.

Really do appreciate hearing your thoughts and opinions, and I thank you for them.

Tina

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Mmmm.  It's a trap, isn't it?  Seen it myself.  You captured it well here, Tina.  The tragedy.

Oddly enough, I found myself on the same theme tonight.  Though a parody, in a way, when I read this.  Mine is something else wearing the skin of this subject. 

Parson Thru

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks for your thoughts, PT. More than appreciated.

Tina

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Well I am obviously a horrible girl because I left two guys when I was in the early stages of pregnancy! That feeling that the good times were mainly over and also they they were both unemployed some of the time and poorly paid the rest so there was not the lure of staying with a 'good provider'. I still think of them and like to remember their good qualities, which I see in my daughters.

Yes a lot of of people still feel love, let's face it, if the man was bad every minute of the day it would be a far easier decision.

Confusion can be a powerful drug, feeling oh so stirred up, exploding physically and emotionally with not knowing what all the wild feelings are. Wuthering Heights- when we truly look at how the b*gger behaves!     Elsie

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Hello there, elsie, and I really appreciate you sharing your experiences.  

Tina

 

 

Submitted by shades on

Stunning! Great work.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Shades, I thank you.

Tina

 

Submitted by Jewel Serpent on

Delicately put but so stunning. I loved this.

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thank you, JS.

Tina

 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Nice one Tina.  Well deserved pick of the week! x

Parson Thru

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Obliged to you, PT.

Tina

 

Submitted by Yvonne Anderson on

Visceral. Truthful. Your writing is so spare, so honest. A few times I have been so affected I just didn't know what to say. A failing in me I fear. 

I look forward to reading more. Excellent pick of the week.

Best wishes. Yvonne

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Thanks for reading, Yvonne...and for your thoughts.

Tina

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

On re-reading the poem, I feel that where it bites hardest is in the closing lines.

where I come from

nice girls don't.

 

The young wife and mother is maybe part of a family and a neighbourhood where if she leaves her husband she is challenging the old ways in a way that many people may not wish to cope with and they may judge her and treat her harshly.  She is very much caught between a rock and a hard place. The emphasis on i     has bittter power     Elsie

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Elsie, you picked up on the main point of this poem, and I am so grateful to you for looking at it, and thinking about it in such depth.

A rock and a hard place, pretty well sums it up.

Many thanks, 

Tina