Savage Marriage

Your husband

The beast’s

A tyrant

He had you beat

With violence

And you

Endured it

You could have

Shrieked

And cried

And called 

The police

To come

With bleeps

And sirens

But you

In weakness

Decided

To keep

Your silence

There were

Memories

Of sweeter times

But over

The years

Due to how

You’ve been

Treated

You’ve begun

To recede inside

This star has

Lost its energy

It used to

Give off heat

It used to be

So vibrant

Mental illness 

Creeped

Up on you

You were caught

In its throes

A hell in itself

And so hot

Is its coals

You tortured

Sick soul

Victim of abuse

That’s domestic

It’ll be prison

If you

Can get him

Accused

And arrested

Come down

With the full

Weight

Of the law

On his

Whole heart

To break it 

Into particles

Like food

Consumed 

And digested

He had a fuse

Which blew

And caused him

To spew

Coarse expletives

You never knew

Or expected

That the man

To whom

You said, “I do”

Would turn into

Such a brute

So aggressive

It’s no wonder

You suffer

From the blues

And depression

One day

He bashed

You over

The head

With a stool

In response

To some advice

You gave

He said

You shouldn’t 

Correct him

You were willing

To forgive

His crimes

And thought

You could change 

His heart

By sewing a seed

Of kindness

Soon enough

You told him

“Um, we need 

Some time apart

So I can find 

My identity

You stole 

My innocence

Peace of mind

And serenity

I can stand

No longer

Your deceit

My integrity

Is important

For me to live

A decent life

Of longevity”

His response

Was indeed 

Surprising

You thought 

He’d get angry

But his face

Turned 

Anxiously pale

As a ghost

As a sheet 

That’s white

He kneeled 

And sighed

“Don’t leave me, wife

You’re my everything’’

“You know

I’ve got your name

Candice, inscribed

On my wedding ring”

Stood up

And went

To the curtains

Opened them up

To reveal the light

All the brightness

To let it in

But though

The darkness

Disappeared

The vibe 

Was unsettling

Turning

Towards you

He gave

A thumbs-up

Bared his teeth

To smile

A Hollywood smile

Not even Marilyn’s

Most gleaming

Diamonds

Was as resonant

He took a step

In your direction

Closing the gap

That was 

Metres wide

And without

Hesitance

Grabbed you

By the throat

And barked

“You really are

A gullible geek

I lied!

You said 

You need some time?

Well, you think 

I can let you go?

No!

I own you 

Till the day

That you cease

To breathe

And die

So, guess what?

I said, 

Guess what?”

‘What?’

“You’re not

Going anywhere

Candice

You’re mine!”