We had no control or balance & Vietnam threatened
like a cobra coiled in a basket. I was 19 & in withdrawal
from my parent’s inebriated calamity. I felt guilty
when your number came up & I could do nothing.
Move to Toronto or apply for a deferment?

There were false steps, lost vows, unpaid bills
& lost babies. Was it a mistake to say yes
for our parent’s sake while still dusted
by guilt of crucifix? Newlywed years
passed like torrents of mud. What a mess.

It’s worth it to bear a relationship,
however hapless, that tethers to root,
even misplanted. The finicky orchid roots
of us grew strong for a while, their thick
silvery tendrils growing outside the pot.

We didn’t spot the orchid rot fast enough, dark
spots overcame the foliage. No signs
of new growth, the roots mushy & discolored.
We failed to leave a fan on for hot humid days
& overwatered as the marriage withered.