Marriage Bleeds Poem by Terry Collett

You see him go to work,
see him get in his car,
start up the motor, give
a wave. You wave back,
look at him, put on the
smile, watch him go down
the drive and out of sight.

The girl from the cafe
will come soon, will kiss
your cheek, take your
hand in hers, lead you
away from the door and
let it close behind like a
guillotine cutting off the
husband like a felon's head.

You feel a swelling heat
rise in you, a deep need
of her. Small talk done with,
little secrets revealed and you
take her hand in yours and
lead her to the guest room
at the end of the hall(not
the marital bed, in bad taste) .

She undresses slowly, article
by article, you undress slowly,
but inside wanting to get on
with it, feel her heat you up,
unfreeze you. You both recline
on the bed naked, hugging close,
kissing here and there soft places,
swallowed by the deepest needs.

Out there some place your husband
drives, unaware his marriage bleeds.