the party was finally over
after long ignoring the hints to leave
the last straggling guests had gone
her husband was already asleep fully clothed on the bed
she was tired but still buzzed from the wine
half empty glasses filled every room
well trampled crumbs laying lifeless on the floor
discarded hors doeuvres displayed on every horizontal surface
she started collecting glasses and stacking the dishwasher
I never knew we had so many she laughed
emptying food remnants into a trash bag
she felt guilty about throwing good food away
beneath a pile of plates roughly stacked on the floor
she caught sight of her wedding photograph
faces smiling through broken glass
her damaged marriage now portrayed in a broken frame
is that really me three decades ago
I was much thinner then with longer hair
my husband looks so much older now
he never smiles like that anymore
she sat down with the broken photograph in hand
wondering what had she achieved since her wedding day
two grown kids now in college and a fat drunken lazy husband
sleeping off his hangover while she cleaned up after the party
what is the point of all this she asked herself
even if she spent all night cleaning washing and polishing
he will still wake up grumpy and complaining
as the wine buzz wore off she remembered why she drank so much
unhappiness was her unwelcome sober state
suppressed daily by a bottle or two of wine
this is no way to live she told herself
she taped a note to the broken photograph…I am leaving you…
Cheeky Monkey Poetry 