P16. Chains

acrylic on canvas, created for Kristian Zenz by CC Shong to accompany this poem;

Dry Sediment
We seek to remind them why
A mere quarter century ago,
They were newly wed.
She works down to the bone, Sharing the water’s flow.
But he remained at home,
And sediment became exposed. Her incoming stream
Dissolved into waste.
It’s his, but only she gives
As her willingness to be late Enveloped his space.
Everyday the same monotone chain Of chores and the grocery store Builds that dam higher:
An effort of entitlement.
And on those same days,
An employed, medicinal fate
Takes away all she gives
And the lines from the surgical mask darken her face.
A similar, corroded chain
Of dying dogs on the linoleum floor Builds that dam higher:
Her reservoir of resentment.
A damning dry spell came,
And she could no longer breathe Yet it was he who had no pulse On the internal bleeding
Her blood began to boil,
And her heart aimed to attack
For the flow was blocked
And his empathy was fleeting
We try to remind them why
A mere quarter century ago,
They were newly wed.
She didn’t marry a martyr,
But a beggar can play pretend
As they’ve forgotten avowals said. We sought to no longer harbor Regret and make amends
For their empty river bed
But son and daughter
Can no longer play pretend
At the sight of dry sediment
the son and daughter
Can no longer make amends
For it’s an empty sentiment.