Paul Bell Poet Free verse

Guilt

He was paving over the cracks
She wore black underwear
The night was grey
Her nipples came alive under the soft, silky material
And for a time, he was lost in lust
She liked married men
They had wives to go home to
He was fighting guilt and pleasure
Mostly, he was fighting himself
She watched him go
Men and their women, she thought
Money was her man
Plain and simple
The drive home was guilt in miles
Quietly opening the door
Slipping into bed with his beautiful wife
His beautiful untouchable wife.

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Sara Kendrick July 6, 2025 at 6:56 AM Yes, those married men have wives to go home to and they should. Problems in the marriage whatever they may be, cannot be solved by bringing in a third party unless it is Jesus, a Christian counselor, communication, and lots of prayer. I am sure that many men go through temptation everyday, but women do also. Sara Paul Bell July 7, 2025 at 2:40 PM Yes, it takes two to tangle.

David Crandall July 5, 2025 at 3:40 PM it sounds like he's caught between a rock and a hard place Paul Bell July 6, 2025 at 5:26 AM He sure is.

Andrea Dietrich July 1, 2025 at 12:16 PM I'm stuck on them both going home to wives! Paul Bell July 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM Sounds like a dream to me. lokl

Susan Ashley June 29, 2025 at 10:02 AM Dear Paul, your poem portraying lust and betrayal captures the bane of guilt with poetic finesse. "The drive home was guilt in miles" is a gut-wrenching line as is your final line.. which leaves me wondering about the genesis and the practice of betrayal in the first place. The finale leaves lots of room to wonder how they/she got to that "untouchable" state. A deep and thought-provoking piece. Warmest wishes.. ~Susan Paul Bell July 1, 2025 at 3:13 AM Life sure is strange.

Charlotte Puddifoot June 29, 2025 at 7:32 AM dunno about an untouchable wife, but d'you ever get a stepford wife vibe on here? ;) Paul Bell June 29, 2025 at 7:45 AM Stepford wives are the ones that chap my door, demanding I conform to whatever conformity is in this week. Living between three churches has its drawbacks. lol