The End of The Affair
Of course, with hindsight, a clean break
would have been sensible, hygenic, neat,
as postage-stamps parted at the perforation,
neither with part of the other like torn meat.
He might have bottled up the hurt she did him
(the hurt he did her carefully set aside),
gone on his way blank-faced, controlled,
feeling himself right and dignified.
Self-righteousness and self-pity, unexpressed,
could have made armour good enough,
"We are civilized adults" a watchword for stoic
and silent and doing it tough.
When they had kissed and shaken hands,
and said good-bye they should
have stuck to that, gone their ways,
forgotten one another if they could.
Rather than what did happen: a progression
from fragile calm to hatred, tears and pain.
And yet from such a clean, a sterile, break
what could have grown again?
There would have never been eventual letters,
a nervous meeting, heavy with things unsaid,
among them a spark of knowing something
between them was not dead.
Something more than love they would have lost -
something beyond eros, agape, animal need.
Perhaps its name must be a Mystery,
but it is dear and precious indeed.
_________________
A contest entry
- ~Amaranthine Dreams~ by Stuart Higginson.
900 points, ended April 19, 2007, 10 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - . by Aurora Ceres.
700 points, ended November 1, 2007, 74 entries
Honorable mention
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Bittersweet by aligurl.
300 points, ended December 3, 2007, 20 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - Win $50, and be published in the next Allpoetry Book! Relationships theme by Kevin.
400 points, ended March 5, 115 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - An Apology by Samcat.
400 points, ended April 16, 14 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
I am unsure that the metre is right and would welcome comments and suggestions.
Comments
1 - 8 of 8
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not feeling it
~prewrites come and get them -
I really like this one. Well written and very interesting.
Very clever and well put together. -
I loved this. A good point. Good luck... If you could read the rules, especially number 5... thanx
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Excellent
Very strong emotions here. And the lines which stay in my mind are,
"Something more than love they would have lost -
something beyond eros, agape, animal need"
Could not find a ny flaw in the choice of words, content and artifice.
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Wonderful write I love it! And its so true...
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Hi
Just printing this off to critique fully by hand; am posting all critiques for contest entries next week, when final judging will also commence. Sorry things have gone on so long; limited net access with moving house and other things in the way lately.
Best wishes,
Stuart
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Very Heartfelt Poem
Wow Kevin, This poem really hit home and made me tear up. Your imagery was very heartfelt and you captured what so many of us go through. You are an amazing writer and your words touched my deeply.Not too many poems do that. Beautiful poem my friend.
Take care, Sandy
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Excellent
Recriminations are terrible things.Better to let go and leave with dignity than the usual blame cycle.Well done, Ros
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