Serial Monogamy

It is a tale as ancient as humanity
legendary other than that it endures as 
a reality never to be banished from 
repetition within human society and 
her story is no cautionary tale but one 
while sordid also describes the emotions 
that impel men and women toward their 
destiny. They were young sharing a birth 
year. She emotionally mature and he 
forever catching up. Their marriage
ill-suited to principals too divergent
in temperament with two children all
too aware of emotional dissonance
a distance flinging him to the warm
embrace of a willing woman two
years senior to his daughter leading
to an irrevocable splinter as he
hobbled in guilt to a new beginning
and she descended into a chaos of
disbelief and loss. It is not true that
time heals all wounds. Hers suppurates
facing her replacement at the marriage
of her grandchild in the shattering
presence of the extended family.