BJ Ward, “Cuckoldom,” from Poetry (September 2006). Copyright © 2006 by BJ Ward. Source: Poetry (September 2006).
Such conundrums
of English. I blame
my ex-wife. She
rearranged my
dictionary, or re-
taught an old story:
in this book,
if you look
for alimony,
it follows
acrimony (nothing
between). However,
contrition still
borders contrivance
(if it can be seen).
Untruth in her
troth sallowed
the language, sullied
a certain conjugation:
how she lied
as she lay with me.
Apparently her
monogamy was too
close to monotony.
Alas, after parting
with that particular
lass, I remain
a student
examining all
our words’
gradation:
how anniversary
now precedes
annihilation.
