First Wife

The first night he came back
Sweaty, in a mood and trembling
I thought nothing of it. He’s a man.

But then it persisted these, let us say,
Unusual excursions.
I suspected a woman at first.
It was worse.

He began talking about his love
For Him;
I thought O dear, here we go: scandal.
I was a businesswoman, you understand
With a camel run to Syria
And there he was,
About to piss it all away by
Dallying with a man and talking about it.
How I wish it was a man now.
The trouble that would have saved us.

Who is this Allah that has invaded our lives,
Taken my man away from me?
I’m patient. I humor him,
Wipe his brow after every convulsion.
It’s love that makes me hold my tongue.

Hassan Abdulrazzak
 
If you have any comments on this poem, Hassan Abdulrazzak would be pleased to hear them.