Cleaving on an Island

         Cleaving on an Island

Modern poetry  modern verse  contemporary poetry  contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem

The house on Merritt Island stood alone

On sand.  No doubt the sand had sandspurs set

Among the weeds.  Like a ramshackle throne

It ruled the landscape almost as a threat.

Decaying slowly in the sea spray, though

Beside the sun and wind and rain, that salt-

Struck wood resisted lashing, cracking blow

Of thunderstorms and hurricanes to halt

Longevity.  The rumor was that just

A man and woman lived inside but slammed

In separation, married but then trussed

Apart by hate, the two with hatred crammed.

..The splitting timber is as slow as their

….Disgust to die, this joined separate pair.

Phillip Whidden