Love Against Aggravation
I was challenged by
to write a Virelai, with the dual subjects "my love for my husband" and "a board game I played when I was a child."
And I daresay I didn't do too badly.
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What glorious loves does history display,
_But greater still is trust.
There's grander, more luxurious ways to play_
But this will do for us.
As once, within a earth-cool family room,
I shepherded bright marbles through the gloom
Quite ignorant of all
The ibis gambling days out of the moon,
The kingdom-cheating princes and their doom,
The horses wondrous small,
So do we sit now, in the cool of day,
Desire superfluous.
I stroke your hair. Upon my breast you lay
Your forehead's weariness.
What glorious loves does history display,
_But greater still is trust.
There's grander, more luxurious ways to play_
But this will do for us.
Some have had gilded gameboards, jeweled pawns,
Entire palaces with gracious lawns,
For passions as for games,
But I'm content with years-worn cardboard, and
The incidental brushes of your hand
When you my pieces claim.
And aye, I have been wayward. I shall stray
Proudly promiscuous
When you, asexual, comfort-craving, stay
Secure, somniferous.
What glorious loves does history display,
_But greater still is trust.
There's grander, more luxurious ways to play_
But this will do for us.
For you have had your journeys oft curtailed.
You roll the dice. You find the dice have failed.
Desire begets frustration.
And some have thought me no good match for thee,
In board game as in sexuality,
A crass insinuation.
But I'll hold aggravations well away,
However ludicrous.
As little sorry may I need to say
As you have need of lust.
What glorious loves does history display,
_But greater still is trust.
There's grander, more luxurious ways to play_
But this will do for us.
I could make puns on Parcheesi all day...
But no more needless fuss.
Call it storge,
Or agape,
Okay?
It's quite enough for us.