Without Affection.... Poem by RIC BASTASA

and that is
what happened

at first it
was a case of mutualism

then parasitism
and sometimes
iniquilism

until we finally
live in one house
with boundaries

and then we become
martyrs
not minding each other's
affairs

the policy of non-intervention
to maintain
a catholic marriage

me, husband, you wife,
one house,
without affection.

and we wear the saddest
smiles of our lives

and as promised we close
our doors
with a line, ...and they live
happily ever after....