The Fate of a Ringed Finger by Mark Tulin —Poetry Super Highway

Poetry from Mark Tulin (Santa Barbara, California)

My Poem: The Fate of a Ringed Finger
— Read on poetrysuperhighway.com/psh/poetry-from-mark-tulin-and-diana-rosen/

The Fate of a Ringed Finger by Mark Tulin


I sat in a dark movie theatre,
and watched with horror
as I proposed to my girlfriend,
blinded by a false reality
while my emotions spoke in tongues.

My mind set on marriage.
Only twenty-two at the time,
I thought I knew what I wanted
and didn’t realize how much we’d change.

I stood up and yelled at the screen,
Please think twice, or you’ll be sorry!
The moving picture didn’t answer;
the spirit of a senseless marriage took over
by the fate of a ringed finger.

All our romantic expectations,
our hopes, and dreams,
our bright future together,
ending up in misery.

I pleaded to myself to come to my senses.
Wake up, Snap out of it, Man!
I had lost control after I took the marriage vow.
The usher grabbed my arm, and reasoned—
It’s just a movie, sir.

The movie ended tragically, of course,
with a long, contested divorce.
Our possessions split up.
Our dream house sold,
and our children divided into thirds.