You say that you love her

You say that you love her

Writing poems, romantic odes

Clever little sonnets

With musical connotations

To elevate the meaning

Above the mundane,

Lifting words from books

Trying very hard to understand

The purpose of emotional literacy

When in doubt,

Shout…

Louder than is needed

To make a point

Which is fervently believed to be right

It carries more impact if it

Comes from the heart

Convinced sincerity will make it

A valid assertion,

Without any appreciation

Of the fact

That every pompous tyrant

Feels the same way,

Even fascists can love their mothers,

Hitler loved his dog.

Do you ever listen

Without prejudice

To her words

Barely registered as a complaint

Before you have them repurposed as heresy?

Silenced before bedtime,

Never go to sleep on an argument

A rule of engagement

In the 1950s

How many times did she say no

Before you gave up,

Never believing she had a right to refuse,

Without admitting you were wrong.

Wake up in the morning

To a new day

Kiss and make up

Pretend all is well

Write a love note on a post-it

Attach it to the fridge with a magnet

Forecourt flowers on the way home

A box of chocs

Scotch on the rocks.

Just as long as the scales

Are never tipped in the wrong direction

The balance of marital power

Always weighted in your favour

The hegemony

In ascendance

Just as it always was.