BY LOUJAYA TONI

1

After several years of marriage
She could tell
When the body came home sometimes
The mind chose to dwell where the body had been;

That’s when the motions were
Mechanical
The spirit was not in it
She knew
And
He knew
But
They faked it
No one spake it
Not until …

11

She lied
She laced her lies
It was convenient for her to do so
It was easy
He believed her
That
Was good enough for now
If he asked her tomorrow
She was forced
To remember what she had said today
So her story could stick
She was quick about her business
There were no attachments
No love lost
Just a cash in enterprise
Then
The bread began to rise
Forcing its presence thru the under-clothes
Layer of lying layer couldn’t hide the protrusion
The confusion
The result of fusion
She lied down
Covered in lace
It was convenient for her to do so
It came easy
She died so her story could stick;

111

She was the conscience that troubled his guilt
She rocked his boat
She wouldn’t let sleeping dogs lie
She got under his skin
His patience wore thin
He discarded it
Left it hanging at half mast
After a few drinks
He was having a blast
Now that he got his thoughts together
He was ready to tell her
The sooner the better;

A grand entry with a boot thru the door
And a fist to the jaw
She had long been dead
Only now it looked as if he killed her
She lied
Even in death
Only now he got what he deserved.