prose poetry. I realize I've been writing it for years!
Submitted February, 2017
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Every woman thinks she can change the man she marries. As girls, we dream of finding our knight in shining armor, who will cause our hearts to skip a beat, and carry us off to his castle where we’ll live happily ever after. We begin our search for this paragon, who causes our heart to skip a beat. When at last we meet the guy who has that inexplicable something that rattles our estrogen, and by some curious stroke of fate we have that same inexplicable something that rattles his testosterone, love settles upon us. In some cases, love settles gently as a soft falling Spring rain, and in others it strikes with the ferocity of a Summer thunderstorm. Whichever is the case, it is not long until we hear strains of “Here Comes the Bride”, a ring is on our finger, the vows are exchanged, and we have a bright, shiny new husband, Our dreams are all coming true.
From almost the exact moment we slide the bolt on the door of our new honeymoon nest, our powers of observation kick into high gear. Our groom is still quite charming, however we find when he sleeps his jaw drops open and he snores, which interrupts our beauty sleep. Other small things begin to crop up. He squeezes the toothpaste tube in the middle, leaves his shorts and socks inside out when he puts them in the hamper (IF he puts them in the hamper), doesn’t rinse out the sink after he shaves, puts toilet tissue on the holder feeding from the bottom and not the top, turns hangers the wrong way in the closet, and any number of little foibles that were not visible when he was wearing his suit of shining armor. We women are not known to shilly-shally when we set about the task of retraining our grooms. We will use every capricious feminine wile we possess, and, if all else fails, nag and harangue. It is no wonder the occasional husband mounts his white horse wearing the tattered remains of his shining armor and gallops off for greener pastures. There, unfortunately, he is apt to fall prey to another female who, after a time, will set about correcting his faults. It is a fact, it takes a man to be a man!
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You seem to put a lifetime in two paragraphs
ReplyDeleteI have wondered how those knights in shining armor used the bathroom. I also think I have been writing prose poetry for years and didn't realize it.
ReplyDeleteSmiling here at your story ~ Unfortunately the tedium of everyday is boring and takes off the sheen from that shining armour ~ I agree, it takes a man to be a man ~
ReplyDeleteHa.. I think I recognize this. I think we do the same to some extent, shaping our loved ones to our better liking. I think it takes a woman to be a man.
ReplyDeleteAn interesting prose poem, Bev. I think the problem is we fall in love with the part of a man he wants us to see and, gradually, discover things we're not so keen on. As you put it so well: 'When at last we meet the guy who has that inexplicable something that rattles our estrogen, and by some curious stroke of fate we have that same inexplicable something that rattles his testosterone, love settles upon us.'
ReplyDeleteThe list of foibles is endless. The only way to change someone though is to get them to see from another point of view ie to be the one who has to undo the knots of dirty socks before they go in the washing machine, pick up the wet towels in the bathroom, to clean the floor when he hasn't changed out of his wet shoes...
ReplyDeleteI love this - it is so true!
ReplyDeleteAnna :o]
I read these prose poems as profound lessons! This certainly is meant to teach and if we (as men) truly listen, we might actually learn something, Bev! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThat's the best punchline I have ever have ever heard, Bev. "It takes a man to be a man" and you have illustrated it so beautifully - and accurately.
ReplyDeleteSo enjoyed this well-crafted analysis that resonates truth. Hopefully, we've been able to move beyond that estrogen-inspired phase to enduring love. I think our generation has had a better chance to do that. Nice to have you at dVerse. Google is giving me a hard time for leaving them, so I'm responding with my defunct blog. :0/
ReplyDeleteThere, unfortunately, he is apt to fall
ReplyDeleteprey to another female who, after a time,
will set about correcting his faults.
It is a fact, it takes a man to be a man!
A Man and a Woman. Chuckles! A most enlightening and entertaining roundup of the real-life phenomena which many face and amusingly accept. If the faults are not material or life-threatening the bond sustains right through the Golden Jubilee years! Enjoyed this Beverley!
Hank
A salutary moral tale!
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how much I love this! I agree, you fit a lifetime in a couple paragraphs.
ReplyDeleteThere is a saying, when women marry they believe their man will change and when men marry they believe their woman will not change.
ReplyDeleteIt may have been true in times past but whether it is today, who can say? Our roles are more flexible than they were.
I never dreamt of a knight in shining armour. In fact I believed no-one could ever love me. I was wrong and it was my best friend who I finally realised was the best man for me.
We had and have a relationship of equals.
But your tale is probably more representative. :)
I enjoyed this! Though I've long believed that that is why God invented humor ... to help smooth over the nag and haranguing process. Smiles.
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