A Greedy Black Hole 

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

“There’s beggary in the love that can be reckoned.”  ~ William Shakespeare, Antony and Cleopatra, Act I, scene 1

She often whined to ears beside her, “Say

How much you love me.”  First, the question leaves

A lot to be desired.  Such questions weigh

Against all common sense.  The question cleaves

The two apart, implying he has not

Been loving her enough for years and years,

Well, not enough, so little that she’s caught

Him out in falsehood.  Then to quell her tears

He’s forced to say again (again!) some something for

Her neediness, her clinginess’ demands.

She can’t just smell him in his bed before

And after he has made his flesh commands.

  Beware, though, of a love like God’s.  It wants

    So much that it dictates and threatens — haunts.

~ Phillip Whidden