The Betrayal

I’d come home unexpectedly,

I know I should have said,

But found you with another man

Both sleeping, in our bed,

I have no words to censure you

No words to spell my grief,

But years of trust have shattered,

You betrayed me with a thief.

 

What have I done, these thirty years

To turn your face from me,

That love you swore, undying

Now just some anomaly?

You opened up our secret place

For some dark stranger’s whim,

What does he have that I must lack,

Why did you go with him?

 

I left you both there sleeping

Staggered down to nurse my pride,

Pacing back and forth the hallway

With my future to decide,

But my heart was drained, quite empty

I could see no way ahead,

And the dearth that came upon me

Cried, ‘I wish that I was dead!’

 

My eyes betrayed me, watered

Down my cheeks, so grey and lined,

You will never see me crying

Though the Lord should strike me blind!

Then I saw you on the stairway

With your gown bunched at your throat,

With that look of horror, branded

And your scream, that one high note.

 

In a moment, you recovered,

And your face took on a sneer,

‘So you caught us, I’m not bothered,

You’d not usually be here!’

Then her lover lumbered down

And put his arm around her waist,

He was young, and lithe, embarrassed,

Couldn’t look me in the face.

 

‘Thirty years we’ve been together,

Thirty years, and now to this,

Tell me, what have you discovered

From a brief, flirtatious kiss?

Just how long d’you think you’ll keep him

From the girls around his age?’

‘It’s enough he says he needs me,

Gives me youth again, we Rage!’

 

I packed a few necessities

And turned to leave them there,

I was leaving half a lifetime

In a mood of deep despair,

‘So you’re sure,’ I muttered, turning

And she nodded once, but slow,

I thought, as I looked briefly back,

‘Please ask me not to go!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Amazingly precise to the T. Betrayal and the pain of discovery, the anguish of having to face the truth, and yet the last lines still expressing some hope, however dim, of a new start. The narrative is intensely dramatic and the use of the first person to tell the story gives it an added impact, being more personal and direct. A sad but excellently written poem/story.

[Patricia B. Hepler]

Life as he knew it turned out to be a deeply painful farce. This speaks volumes to those who are struggling with their personal emotional grief - Even if they could feel 'not alone ' in their misery, nothing eases the raw pain everyone feels if, or will, endure the pains of such a blunt betrayal. Excellent writing, sir.
*pat

[Onyia-Ali, Kingsley Chu..]

full of disillusionment, sequentially arrange with imagery and live. This is good, sir.

[Tarry Franck]

This is so sad but how many of us have felt this kind of pain. Makes you want to do unthinkable things. Can cause you to lose your sanity or pick up the pieces and realize you are worth more than that. Thank you for shedding light on such a touching subject.

[Tate Morgan]

Isnt that just the way it felt? I remember being betrayed once and thinking it was unfair.However not long later i thanked the man for my salvation

[David Scott]

The stories of our heart breaks... It seems that we all have our moments to shine, to hurt, to be ashamed, and to show compassion. How is it that we feel entitled to what was never ours and throw away a valuable gift that is already ours?...
Great emotion and provocation David.
The poetry is wonderful as only you seem to be able to pen this style so well.

[Damien Davison]

This is an amazing write, in which it is terrible and it really makes you feel it. Thanks for sharing this, it's a shame when this really happens...

[emmy bon]

Sad, you have to go this bad, thirty years not thirty days.... terrible end, i gotta leave.

[Marie]

The betrayal is terrible, but isn't the end more terrible?
Pride should be considerably stronger than this.