No Love Lost for Wisdom
He was a solid man
Probably the best that she could do
Thought she knew what she wanted:
If he was not exactly that
A lot she didn’t want he wasn’t either
And she needed to get married
Didn’t love him but she liked him
And he respected her
Yes he did.
He was a solid man
Three kids later
When he came home late for dinner
Because he got to talking to some friends
Though he never talked to her
And forgot to pick her up at the airport
No she didn’t like him much
But he would do
He was a solid man
With his kisses and his love on autopilot
Would have sent her chocolates
And a card but he forgot
Things were fine around the house
And no. She didn’t like him.
Didn’t like him.
He was a solid man
A good father to the kids
They grew up and he stayed distant
But he always took them fishing
And they forgot her birthdays
Same as he forgot the anniversaries
No. No. No she didn’t like him.
He was a solid man
But she filed for a divorce
That’s when she figured he would surely
Want to talk but he didn’t
And he didn’t want to think about divorce
He was happy with the marriage
Sent her roses and a pretty box of candy
And she wondered why she ever thought
She liked him.
From Poems of the New Old West, Jack Purcell, copyright 2002
So Far From Heaven 