Everything Is Not Something

A soft green leaf with veins of brown

A gray spotted stone nestling the ground

A gentle sweet breeze tickling the cheek

A low honking gosling sounding meek

Everything is not something

 

          A loud arcing note of a flute

          A bright sparkling star that goes shoot

          The evocative clacking of dice thrown

          A beloved dog gnawing a bone

          Everything is not something

 

The crisp sharp sound of a blade on ice

The tempting scent of buttered rice

The warm yeasty aroma of baking bread

The bright hot color of fire engine red

Everything is not something

 

          The shrill whistle of a train

          The soft patter of rain

          The hard shell of a seed

          The shiny hardness of a bead

          Everything is not something

 

 

 

The sizzle of melting butter in a pan

The riotous sound of a game of kick-the-can

The crash of waves on the beach

The dewy feel of a fresh peach

Everything is not something

 

          The shy excitement of an unexpected glance across a room

          The hush that follows the first meeting of a future groom

          The quiet conversation of a newly made couple

          The rush of feelings you attempt to make subtle 

 

The first brush of skin against skin

The gentle lifting of a chin

The heated gaze into your eyes

The comfort of the most intimate of sighs

 

         The sensuality of whispered secrets

          A soft outlining of a loved one’s features

          A slow firm sweep of a tongue

          A real romance has begun

 

Already a month has passed

And you wonder how long this’ll last

You hope against hope you've got it right

That he is indeed your white knight

 

 

 

          Otherwise, no invitations on creamy cardstock paper

          No lacy white veil in which to drape her

          No tight cinched girdle to suck in the waist

          No church backroom in which to pace

 

No heartfelt vows said aloud

In front of a large supportive crowd

No corny toast at a reception

Making you wish the toaster had been given more direction

 

          No honeymoon on a warm tropical isle

          No joy of a permanent smile

          No soft velvet nights of ecstasy

          No chance to know the rest of me

 

No house hunting to find the perfect home

No jointly owned car with sparkling chrome

No days spent choosing a rocking chair for a nursery

No celebration of a 10^th anniversary

 

          No hard, stinging pinches

          That destroys you by inches

          No sharp slaps with absolutely no warning

          That make your teeth ache through the morning

 

 

 

 

It can’t get worse you tell yourself

As you stock the pantry shelf

That is until you discover

He’s taken himself a teenage lover

 

          Then the destruction begins in earnest

          His slaps make your face like a furnace

          It escalates to kicking, punching and biting

          The pain and his fury like white lightning

 

“Stop” you scream in an agony of pain

“I can’t go through this again”

He stops a second and stares at you

Before he shrugs and raises his shoe

 

          This is it you think

          I’ve pushed him over the brink

          You’re in too much pain to even sit up

          Maybe you should just let go and give up

 

Well that hardly seems right

Since this begun you’ve refused to fight

And what has that changed

Despite everything he continues to maim

 

          All because you had the audacity to ask

          Of him one simple husbandly task

          To show the respect you deserve

          For someone whom he expects to serve

 

You remain on the floor but refuse to cry

The fairy tale you believed in has become a lie

But not one perpetrated by you

So why should you pay the check that is due?

 

          You lift yourself from the carpeted floor

          And turn your head to see the door

          “Get out, now,” you say

          “Or you will rue the day”

 

Seeing the flush of anger upon your face, the fire in your eyes

Your husband realizes you no longer believe his lies

He has vastly overplayed his hand

And must deal with the consequences like a man

 

          Of course, if that had ever been true

          He would have never done what he did to you