4/22/2012

Duty (Un-) Burdened

Image Source: WikiMedia Commons
 

I’m not sure how it happened.

When did it come to be mine,
This obligation to be the pedestal
Beneath your fragile ego?
Why am I the keeper of the keys
To your success?

When did I say I do
And forget that I am? 
When did I become
More you than me?

Maybe I was drunk (it could happen)
Or mesmerized by your charms.
Maybe my judgment was clouded
By the fog of your vaporous praise
Or blinded by glare of your arrogance.

Well, whatever. I'm stone cold sober now.
Clear-headed and clear-eyed and
In the clear light of day, I see
I was clearly out of my mind.

I see my duty writ sharp now,
And it’s not addressed to you.
Go find another supplicant
Willing to kneel at your altar
And sing hallelujah.

I’m outta here.



Awake is a sequel to this.

***

Written for dVerse Poetics: Duty Calls.





7 comments:

  1. Ha! Really enjoyed this! You go, girl! (I mean, don't if you don't want!)

    Oh dear - describes such real situations. And I really am not in favor of separations, but difficult. K.

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  2. booyah! i def want to be on no ones pedestal or have their success dependant on me...good job finding your own life...once more...

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  3. Yes, you go woman...enough of this supplication and arrogance ~

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  4. I love the way you write about relationships. It's not always easy to know when to say, I'm outta here." But it is so important. I tend to linger too long, hoping something will change. Mistake...because it never does.

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  5. oh heck...sounds like the right choice to get out there..def. wouldn't want to kneel at someone's altar...tight images chosen as well patti

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  6. Wow, plaint of trophy wife or awareness of someone found out that the marriage bond often means subservience and idolization. What a powerful reminder that marriage should cultivate the self-awareness of both partners, not serve as launching pad for one over the other. Excellent poem.

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  7. I really like the clear-headed, clear-minded stanza. Very clever. At last she saw the light. YAY!

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Thoughts? I would love to hear from you.