When I read the news story a few years ago about the Cambodian couple when upon divorcing, decided to literally cut their home in two, each receiving one half, it startled me for so many reasons. It was such a seductive theme to use for a poem. Here is the result.
CAMBODIAN MATHEMATICS
--October 2008
After 18 years of married life
her husband demands nothing
upon leaving, only
one half of their house
exactly
separation requires
two weekends
four male cousins
countless saws and she is
baffled because now
nothing is hidden, he leaves her
unfinished, gaping
a squall of rain urges her to the edge
of the split
will she leap off
her half of house
or permit the audacity of weather
to abuse the furnishings
as she watches, seated
in a kitchen perfumed
with toast and dark coffee
the red threads of their wedding day
squeezed tight in her closed fist.
--Catherine Fraga
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Love the idea that the split in the marriage and the house means that nothing is hidden. How many of the beautiful things in relationships are hidden, only upon separation to be exposed and made ugly?
ReplyDelete@Rochelle...exactly! The "exposure"--both physically and spiritually--can be so stunning when a relationship ends, falls apart, splits in two...thanks for the especially thoughtful reply.
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