Love Poem: Husband and Wife On Hassocks Eating Sausage
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Written by: Donal Mahoney

Husband and Wife On Hassocks Eating Sausage

Husband and Wife on Hassocks Eating Sausage
 

He tries again to situate his 
grosbeak nose beneath his spectacles.
He twists the toothpick in his teeth
and hunches now a little more toward her,
saying “Listen, dear, I’ve said all this before,
and now I'll say it all again:
 
“You’re slovenly and gross. Your jowls 
swing beneath your jaws like testicles.
Your mammoth breasts need tweezing.
Your freckled calves are carved of lard.
These things are true, my dear.
They’re not some crazed 
vision of conjecture.”
 
The lady belches, reaches for
a pickle spear, a slice of cervelat,
and begins to comb her yellow hair.
 
She hunches now a little more toward him,
saying “Listen, dear, I’ve heard all this before.
What’s happened here is eminently clear.
You no longer love me.”
 

Donal Mahoney