The Simple Word

The flashy words he deftly chose to seduce, and with practice these became florid. One word he once inadvertently let loose, that he had kept for long under the lid. He did this long after she came in his life, sailing together in time in a fervent way, until they were hit by the storm of strife, and she had started to slowly drift away. His door was open, she did not return, the last thread of hope he had lost pained. A simple word then grew in his heart’s urn, but he had kept it as a captive chained. His longing for her did not ever wane, he disliked to see her get hurt and sore, but unable to bear long the load of pain, knew not when the captive’s chain he tore. For her the injury could not be greater, as his spite spurted the simple word 'hate'. It was mea culpa, he ruefully realized later, but belated, for it had sealed their fate. ______________ March 21, 2023 Contest : A Simple Poetry Sponsored by : John Lawless