Back Next The Cheater

Simply speaking
His wife
Had Fucked
With another
And so
In this
Absolute now
He had
The right
To walk
The street
With a cigarette
Dangling from his mouth
A put upon his face
A worn-out look
And give himself
Permission
To dress
Like
A slob
And come before
Her
Once a week
And to drop
His dumb
Lower lip
With that retarded
Indifference
And he held
Out his
boneless hand
For her
To trickled
Silver coins
Into his
Palsied palm

Irwin R. Shaw - March 14th 1983