When Dismantling your Wife

make sure you do it in stages / gently /

masterfully / let her think it's just / the

rhythmic quirks of your character /

remember / a good wife / comes apart

at the wrists and / clavicles / let her think /

always / it must be her fault / set your standards

up / on the highest shelf / just out of her reach

and file / those heels / over 2 inches /

down to dust / give her flowers / after years

of her asking / when she no longer cares

for them / anymore / wrap every morsel of praise up

/ in layers of complaint / be good / always /

be faithful / be consistent in the things / she's

never asked you for / resist / the soft weight of

her body / wordless / let your displeasure / disgust /

be known / of her rounded angles / of her imperfections

/ remind her / always / that the children /

your children / deserve better / buy her a house and

give her leave of a single room / inside it /

remember / a good wife is raised / on a steady diet

/ of doubt / questions / do not need to be answered

/ broken windows / you'll find / let in more than just

a draught / don't forget to / wonder why / why again

she is crying / why parts of her tremble at the slightest

sound / why the walls / whitewashed / are lined with

her grieving / why she smells of hunger / how

she came to be strung up so high / and so tight /

why she's caught in a cycle of bleeding / and retracting

/ why she's dissolving into nothing / into dust / in your arms