Cynthia C. Naspinski

Have you noticed that your husband suffers from a strange affliction
That will most often affect him in the bedroom or the kitchen?
Though you must try hard to treat him with compassion and with kindness,
It is really quite the challenge dealing with Domestic Blindness.

At the fridge, has he stood grumbling that there isn't any cheese,
Then you've reached around to pluck it out as easy as you please?
And perhaps you've walked away and then overheard him mutter -
"How am I meant to find something that's hid behind the butter?"

Does he stare into his sock drawer and cast his eyes about
As if waiting for the pair he seeks to levitate right out?
You see, this weird condition may not just affect his eyes,
For his arms and hands will often dangle useless at his sides.

Have you asked him to please fetch you something from the pantry shelf,
To have him take so long that you must go look for yourself?
Have you stood beside him wond'ring how he hasn't yet caught sight
Of the item, front and centre, on the shelf at his eye height?

Does the can opener elude him, or the clippers for his nails?
Does his gaze slide past the shirt he seeks hanging on the rail?
Much like when he's half listening but you know he isn't hearing,
His eyes seem to be looking but he isn't really seeing.

Does he lay the blame with you for giving faulty information,
If you're off by several inches when you gave him the location?
Or your painstaking description doesn't mesh with what he's seen,
'Cause he insists that grey is blue, what you call blue is green.

We vowed to have and hold our men for better and for worse,
So we try not to belittle them, or chide or mock or curse.
We attempt to bite our tongues and to stifle any sighs
But, of course, we're only human so we'll always roll our eyes.

You betrayed me.

While I went about my days,
Blithely oblivious,
You kept your dark secret.
It festered, insidious.

Had I missed any signs
Of your covert activity;
Too smug in my assumptions
And foolish naivety?

Once the truth was revealed,
I was left reeling.
Didn't know how to process
All that I was feeling.

Your treachery was exposed,
Examined, excised.
Though tough times ensued,
I got on with my life.

Now I keep watch for signs,
Another smoking gun.
This breakdown in trust
Can't be undone.

I want to go back
to being carefree,
But cancer has stolen
That innocence from me.

I can't look at you the same,
There are scars that remain.
You betrayed me once,
Will you do it again?