His wife told him – on Sunday –
that she bedded another man –
last Monday –
A bloke who –
if named now –
would see
them both equally shamed –
before their shared families –
It’s almost bloody biblical –
He said –
It’s not their first go –
at such stuff –
they’ve done it before then –
and often –
Finding out last time –
his advice to his wife was –
Never again – Never – Please –
‘Cos of who – ‘Cos of place and
‘cos every other circumstance –
She’s away working –
He told me –
I don’t have a bleedin’ clue
what happens now – Sorry –
I needed to – dunno – offload –
Pretty crap stuff –
I nodded –
Then his gallows laughter –
Nice way to end a tough year!

This crumbling man
has let you down,
with shortened pulls
of heavy breaths,

a broken pledge
to set high your crown,
instead, disgraced,
he failed that test:

These rough-made men,
reset as fools,
by that male God,
who knows no shame,

who ‘out of love’
re-shaped their fear,
because of Him
I should lose love’s claims.