Poem: A Convenient Wife

A CONVENIENT WIFE 

she’s the convenient wife
he bought at the market where
off-world traders barter wares
from across the galactic spiral arm,
he avoids the dream-dealers
jugglers, sky-opals and time-eggs,
but keeps a keen eye for a bargain,
he resents her price, although it’s low,
she’s elfin-skinny with bright black eyes
strong enough to work, and eats little,
requires only the occasional beating
to teach her obedience and the
appropriate degree of servility,
she works hard,
cleans his golden manse
on the headland of the endless sea,
cooks and serves him food
which is good, although he complains
and finds endless fault,
she sews and she sings and she weeps for
the luminous moons of her lost home-world

he decides he needs a convenient son
to assume his work-load while he relaxes, to
carry his proud name forward into coming years,
so in obedience to his wishes
when he forces himself upon her
she plants her seed within him
in the manner and biology of her people,
as the seed grows and begins to feed
she soothes his terrors and agonies
as the embryo devours him from inside,
until she retrieves the child from the
wreckage of what had been his body,
she loves her son as her son loves her,
they share the golden manse
on the headland of the endless sea
and stroll the harbour together
as the suns set in streamers of fire



Featured in:
'Dreams & Nightmares' (no.112, May 2019)
My thanks to editor David C Kopaska-Merkel
for a fine collection at work... from
1300 Kicker Road, Tuscaloosa AL 35404
www.dreamsandnightmaresmagazine.blogspot.com