5 My Mother’s First Marriage

She married

in the throes of depression
for solace
if not on love’s wings,
at least she wasn’t a fling–

for something.

She couldn’t confide in him
because he was really worse than all the others.
She cried herself
to sleep, heart

encased.

No relief
as time droned on—
Kneeling
Appealing

she felt

his cruelty.

She was united
and existed broken apart

And yet, she had hoped–