Peacock eyes, scars of gold

She tickles one’s funny bones

Charming man or a parasite

She survives to patch and thrive.

People continue to live through the violence and the grief. 

A girl is forced to wear a veil one day and soon it becomes ordinary.

Wars are ordinary; in a land such as my own. 

Source: A small review I wrote for Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

the price of a dinner out

He comes to her apartment twice a week 

and she cooks him dinner. 

 

But they say, Think of Marriage as a Daily Practice.

 

One evening John complains 

about the food. 

He has never complained 

about her food before. Mary is hurt.

 

But they say, Make Sure You’re Both on the Same Page

 

Crying is bad for your face, 

everyone knows that and so does Mary.

People at work notice.

 

But they say, Only You Control Your Own Happiness

 

Her friends tell her John is a rat, 

a pig, a dog, he isn't good enough for her, 

but she can't believe it.

 

But they say, Find the Balance Between Partner and Whatever

 

Her friends tell her they've seen him in a restaurant 

with another woman. It's not even the woman 

that finally gets to Mary: it's the restaurant.

 

But they say, When in Doubt, Ask

 

Mary collects all the sleeping pills 

and aspirins she can find, and takes them 

and a half a bottle of sherry.

 

But they say, Go On Fun Vacations Together. Retire Early.

 

She hopes he'll discover her 

and get her to the hospital in time and repent 

and then they can get married, 

but this fails to happen and she dies.

 

But they say, All Lives Are Full of Misery Till Death.

 

Note: Random excerpts from an essay by Margaret Atwood titled ‘Happy Endings’ and a listicle (slightly changed) 7 Tips For Building a Marriage That Can Stand the Test of Time.

Source:

1. God of Small things- Arundhathy Roy

2. Pests? Gardeners need to rethink how they view slugs, snails and greenfly - Andrew Salisbury