The usher sandwiches
her next to me;
knee to knee
elbow to elbow
hormones to pheromones,
our auras envelop
even as the choir sings
Kýrie, eléison
Juxtaposition,
my wife,
knee to knee
elbow to elbow
radiates
nothing,
leaving me to avoid
the near occasion
of sin
alone.
Richard M. O’Donnell’s works have appeared in many venues. His on-line publications and YouTube films can be accessed at his homepage www.wormsview.com.
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Posted on June 3, 2010 in Literary
9 Responses to “THE NEAR OCCASION • by Richard M. O’Donnell”
Comments
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June 3rd, 2010 at 3:40 am
Ouch! A nicely bitter commentary on the aridity of married life… Ho hum.
June 3rd, 2010 at 6:01 am
It’s that little flying usher with wings and bow and arrow. He’s a scamp. It’s illusion.
June 3rd, 2010 at 1:35 pm
Poignant, understated and moving. This is what is meant by poetry opening your eyes. My only cavil is that “sandwiches” usually means “being placed in the middle”, whereas she is actually being seated on one side of the narrator.
June 3rd, 2010 at 1:53 pm
haven’t heard that expression “the near occasion of sin” in a long time! And thinking of when knee to knee and elbow to elbow would definitely create “temptation.”
June 3rd, 2010 at 4:02 pm
I love it! Beautifully portrayed. Achingly uncomfortable yet with the ring of truth!
June 3rd, 2010 at 10:41 pm
Good sharp poem! Second that ouch!
June 4th, 2010 at 8:36 am
Garth – I think that one chair was intentionally left empty so that the “temptation” could be sandwiched between the speaker and some stranger. That she is seated on the “side” will probably lead to the two “aurotic” sides to fly off together, leaving the speaker alone, and alone as well the wife who “leaving (him)” to avoid the near occasion of sin alone,” is now estranged.”
June 5th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
Roberta – if it requires that much interpretation to understand, then the word “sandwich” shouldn’t have been used. I had to read it a couple of times to realize that it’s about the speaker being sandwiched between two people, not about “her” being sandiched.
June 14th, 2010 at 10:20 pm
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it