Be Enough

In the mirror she saw him wince at the

raw red welts her lover had left and

instantly twisted to kiss the

darling husband who adored her, had

fathered and cherished their children,

worked hard to provide and

made love to her with gentle passion but

couldn’t treat her like a whore, couldn’t

beat her with meaning, couldn’t

fuck her like meat, and she

clasped his sweet face to her

soft sore breasts, loving his breath but

knowing that it couldn’t—

he couldn’t—

be enough.