Exonerated [revised] Poem by Margaret Alice Second

She’s exonerated and forgiven – now as we speak
she’s at the bedside of a dying inmate in the old
age home she once worked at; it doesn’t matter
what her car breakdown-evening meant to me,
spoiling my small, bureaucratic life – happy in

Being my beloved’s wife, with two wonderful kids;
my disappointment about an evening with twin
sis collapsing into noise and anger hasn’t any
value in the grand scheme of things, it’s wrong to
expect her to face trials of life the same way as I

Demand of myself. She’s had such a hard life it is
grand having a twin sis on whom she can vent
frustrations, she can be freed to others needing
her more than I – if only I could learn to be there
for her whichever way she wants of me, but

No matter, all’s sorted now, car okay as behoves
a magical car and mechanic making a pass at her
simply revealed that her beauty influences men
so much – though she’s not interested as she’s
here to serve the old and disadvantaged

I’m sorry I was shocked by her attitude – not
understanding how much pain she carries, now
realising her inner beauty derives from serving
her fellow-men – while I serve my little core
family intent on too beautiful sounds…

16 August 2013