First Wife
Tho'
parasite thou art I love thee still
In spite of all the evil in thy heart.
Thy need to suck my soul with all thy will
Can not induce my sanguine to depart.
Tho' cold and cruel and callous e'er thou'st been
I dared not my enthusiasm hold
For testing true my tort to keep thee ken
No matter what destruction might unfold.
Thy need to me destroy I fathom not
Nor why thou hast thy conscience oft' bereft.
While on I moved along with thee in rot -
My vow to love forever still was left.
So help me, Lord, to be not e'er untrue
Yet keep my dignity unfettered, too.
West
Palm Beach FL
10
May 2006