FIVE

Mother gave five chances

For you to screw things up;

Quite frankly, I’m baffled it took so long,

We’ve been together for like…forever!

It was every fifth week,

We rode the metro to Zauphy’s,

Scarfing more than our wallets could handle,

And I had to drag you outside.

Five bottles of champagne

Wasted down your shirt and gullet,

And you squealed like a goat on the train home;

I almost felt ashamed of you.

It was embarrassing,

When you were more sloshed than a pig,

Snogging my face in front of the in-laws;

My face glowed sanguine all that night.

FOUR

Four weeks of depression;

I longed your stupid, ugly face,

Your northern light eyes staring down at me…

And then, you appeared in my dreams.

All of our excursions,

All of our drunken romances;

I just kept thinking about you those weeks,

Alone and depressed as I was.

I knew mum felt guilty,

And father couldn’t have cared less.

But they both found you irresistible,

So I couldn’t have loved you more.

But four seconds later,

We ran to the train for Zauphy’s;

Gorged on lamb chops, buttered squash, and crab cakes;

And laughed so hard we choked on air.

The parents were happy,

Even though they didn’t show it;

You were always invited to supper,

So, I’d say you’ve won them over.

THREE

It took three years later

For us to become newly weds.

Three years to put diamonds on my finger,

But you did, so I was happy.

About three months after,

We had tried for a little one;

Miscarriage, every single time we’ve tried,

No hope for little Winnifred…

“Let’s try a surrogate?”

But you insisted otherwise.

You cried, “She wouldn’t be ours anymore,”

And I knew that all hope was lost.

I wanted to blame you,

But we were both sour that day;

Besides, we had our honeymoon to plan

And I fancied a Paris trip.

TWO

There were two diverged paths

Like, what’s his name said…Robert Frost;

Me, a pharmacist; you, an architect,

Both of us working to forget.

We’ve became too busy,

But I notice you’re more distant;

Day and night, they work you for long hours,

Turning you into zombies.

Twice, I had brought it up,

And yet, you have dismissed me quiet;

I guess my concerns are not important,

Until they become your problem.

Two cups of dark coffee,

A habit we both fell out of;

One cup half empty, the other cold,

Are you ever here anymore?

ONE

On one specific day,

I reminisce about the past;

How we used to meet at our favorite spot,

Pulling pranks on rude customers.

On one day last week,

I yanked off the ring of diamonds,

You know, the one you wept on your knees with,

I doubt you even noticed it.

One moment you were happy,

The next moment, you were in love;

Moments were all we had, if I’d say so,

And yet, I’m still babbling on. ..

Can I spare one last thought?

I’m not sure I have it in me;

But if I could declare my final words,

I hope you make good use of life.

ZERO

If I say one last thing,

If I count the ways I love you,

Darling, if three’s a crowd, and two was us,

Then you know…one slipped away.