Black eyed and bloody, she found herself

A tropical storm, a whirling mess of relocating earth. She broke
Their plates one, by one, by one. He wasn’t there,

He couldn’t deal with her when she was like this,
She needed time to cool off, her
Small limbs carpeting the ground like an animal

While he went out to pubs, shops,
Other women’s houses.

He apologised, sometimes, in his return, other times he penned her in his wide arms
Lifted them both to untouched climes, kissed her,
Decided there was no more to be said.

Other days she was the one who demanded space

While he spoke; his fury mounting,
His wide arm solid as a crosspiece across the open door.