The marriage lasted nearly 50 years.
The husband joined his spouse’s family
whole-heartedly, embracing atmospheres
exotic, homely, filled with euphony
he never heard where he matured – a pall
existed in those houses, anger brewed
in silence and absorbed by alcohol,
inheritance in strong addiction stewed.

But now that separation and divorce
becomes the couple’s project, chasm looms.
The family unites and claims en masse
they never really trusted him of course.
They’d rather see him out of all their rooms.
They push him closer to a deep crevasse.