"Condemned for Loving Too Much"

All was quiet in this forgotten town,

Because of the record snow tumbling down,

Yet in the plaza crowds were shopping still,

Looking for entertainment to get their fill,

There were walkers, and talkers, shops all ablaze,

Restaurants still open but countless delays,

Marge was waiting patiently and talking to a friend,

This day had been perfect, she didn’t want it to end,

Somehow, she noticed him, standing off from the crowd,

His gray eyes fixed on her, haughty and proud,

His brown coat, his lean frame, the thin twisted nose,

Why she alone could see him, she could only suppose,

His eyes asked questions, the answers she didn’t dare,

What kind of man was he? One that didn’t care?

Was he an angry ghost or a demon of some kind?

Why were his thoughts penetrating her mind?

Somehow in his hands he held her new fate,

She thought, “Is it possible to love someone you hate?”

As this thought surfaced, Marge pushed it away,

She had never seen him before, not until today,

“He is not attractive,” she thought, “not in the least,”

But he continued to stare at her like she was a feast,

Her face flushed, and deep within the heat began,

Rising in waves until perspiration ran,

She was uncomfortable, she needed time to think,

But he watched her diligently, not once did he blink,

“Is it possible to love your enemy?” she thought,

“What is it about me that’s so eagerly sought?”

She was thirty-three years old for goodness sake,

And ten pounds too heavy, give or take,

Yet she was flattered by his attention even more,

Unlike her friends, all her faults he chose to ignore,

He willed her to move forward, but he didn’t insist,

Although she closed her eyes, she was helpless to resist,

Silently Marge turned, her demon she faced,

When he smiled, her legs trembled, her heart raced,

She took one step forward, two, then three,

She unbuttoned her blouse, letting him see,

She hated him and yet she was offering her kind,

Melting into love, her body yielding to his mind,

Seeking his hatred, demands, contempt to slay,

Doing what she could, loving his hate away,

An act of love determined Marge’s fate,

Is it possible to love, someone you hate?

All is quiet again in this forgotten town,

But there is one less demon standing around,

No one wants to question or be out of touch,

Should Marge be condemned for loving too much?

The Choice

He stood silently and scratched his head,

Staring at the oaks outside hard and long,

While his terrible thoughts raced ahead,

“How did I manage to let things become so wrong?”

He should warn her, “Don’t be fooled if no words are said,”

He shuddered and wondered, “Why can’t I be strong?”

The thought of her crying filled him with dread,

Although three birds flew from tree to tree,

And two squirrels chased each other on limbs below,

Nothing else moved as far as he could see,

Life disappeared when the temperature dipped low,

“I think this winter scene is just like me,

I’m in a marriage that’s as cold as the snow,

There’s a little life left, but I need to be free,”

His wife made coffee and brought it with care,

He didn’t look up, afraid his face would betray,

But he was already certain that she was aware,

She hurried off to wake the kids for another school day,

“Why doesn’t she mention something about my affair?”

But she busied herself with the children and he was on his way,

Sweaty palms, racing heart, turmoil inside, softly he began to swear,

An office party, it had started out innocent enough,

They talked about their lives and when they could retire,

He tried to stay away, but his heart wasn’t that tough,

They had too much to drink, then alone and on fire,

He felt tenderness, passion, and all the romantic stuff,

“I’m happy,” he told himself, yet deep within he was a liar,

For he still had to go home, and his wife to bluff,

Time passed quickly after that sordid start,

His desires were fulfilled but it was a living hell,

He knew he had to choose between head and heart,

Should he do what he thought was right and well,

Or keep on savoring life sip by sip, loving each part?

 Would he have to decide? Only time would tell,

What choice should he make, if he wanted to be smart?

One evening his lover presented him with a choice,

 Leave two children and his wife, with two years of deceit,

She said, “If you want to keep me, you’ll need a divorce,”

Quickly he thought, “Love on the run, or a family complete,”

It was only then that he finally found his voice,

“I choose to love again with a love more concrete,

I hope she will love me, because I’ve made my choice.”