House of Cards
(a kyrielle)

My Queen-of-Clubs sincerity
Stakes high repute in honesty,
But lies to friends and rears its guard
To build a castle, card by card.

My Queen-of-Spades severity
Rebukes peers’ faith in God’s decree
And bleeds the grace from which it’s barred
To build a castle, card by card.

My Queen-of-Hearts tenacity
Aspires to quell mundanity
And vanquish static disregard
To build a castle, card by card.

His King-of-Spades duplicity
Begets my inborn martyr’s glee,
For heartbreak calls for hearts made hard
To build a castle, card by card.

But now, I’ve drawn this King of Hearts,
And laid it o’er my four crown cards.
It makes a full-house roof, unmarred,
To build a castle, card by card.

Your King of Hearts—its majesty
So honest, faithful, trustworthy,
Has laid face-up my cards, once scarred,
And felled this castle, card by card.

Mindy Watson