nodus tollens n. the realization that the plot of your life doesn’t make sense to you anymore-that although you thought you were following the arc of the story, you keep finding yourself immersed in passages you don’t understand, that don’t even seem to belong in the same genre-which requires you to go back and reread
There’s a strange woman running through my life
She’s coming at me from all sides
She wears a headdress
Bright feathers and a leather cord around her waist
From which hang
Scalps and small furry remains of previous kills.
I wake up and look about the room
The night shadows have moved
The moon has passed over
The yellow glow of the morning sunrise
Hovers away to my left
I wonder what is happening to me.
I work 9 to 5
I am on average a boring and plain man
I teach English to students
Bored from their previous lesson
I add to their wretchedness
I give little to add value to their day
But I do it all day every day
I excel in the ordinary
But I suck at Jane Austen.
It’s the same shit different day mentality
Its up at six, shower, dress, breakfast
Train, walk, first class ad nausem.
I live as on a treadmill and I can’t get off
My wife saw the light and headed south
Had enough of my tedium,
Even sex she said was as if on rote.
But when I think I am settled, accepting
The vision returns. The woman
Naked except for her sparse dress
Lures me, plays with me,
I can’t stop her; I don’t want to stop her
She unearths a hidden side to me
One I keep secret for fear of comments
Discovery I may not be what all perceive me to be.
We engage as lovers, she leads me into
Dens of pleasure, explorations of our bodies
Places I never knew could elicit such physical rapture.
In dark spaces she sits astride me
Looking down upon my manhood
My mind is filled with unexpected delights
I lie back and allow her to take me where she will.
I awake each morning,
Looking about the night shadows have moved again
I need to get her out of my head.
Elizabeth Bennett her repressed sexuality
And seething desire for Darcy
Jump out of the text at me,
But I know my charges are not moved.
I run the shower cooler to compose myself
The woman and her hold on me
I store away, until tonight.
Written for: https://mindlovemiserysmenagerie.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/writing-prompt-127-noend-house-part-7%E2%80%B3/
Morpethroad 
There is an intensity to this piece and an unexpectedness to it. Who is the mysterious woman? She is very alluring
Thanks Yves, glad you found it alluring, it was a fun write.
Interesting, well done, moves smoothly from start to finish with a grace, a subtle intensity which doesn’t assault the reader. I agree that she’s mysterious and alluring, yet I don’t feel compelled to discover her.
Thank you J for stopping by. Have a great Sunday.
Bull riding and rodeo all day, so it’s bound to be a good one! Hope your new week starts well–and by the way, when I post your recipes at the other place, I’ll let you know/link 🙂
Ok thanks I’ll look forward to it….make sure you have your helmet and face protection on when you are watching the bull riding….
Hahahahahahaha! I just have to be careful I don’t fall off the couch, as I’m bobbing and weaving trying to help them ride!! This is the last event (Tucson, AZ) before World Finals begins later this month… nerves and pressure revving up.
Well I am glad you get such a buzz out of it all….better hang on the couch then….
🙂
Wow! Now this was a completely unexpected reading for me!
Interesting to discover so many facets to your writing personality and capabilities. You are a gifted man of many talents Michael. 🙂
This piece – is fascinating, gripping, yet softly so …. there is no heat in lust and passion, yet the undercurrents are more powerful than what could be blatantly obvious. I adore the character you have created – the mundane, dull routine so well set out – yet, it’s almost an “obscenity” this shadowed night life in dreams, or perhaps awakenings – yet it is hauntingly beautiful in an odd way.
I could carry on – but I will simply leave my thoughts here – mentioning how multi-layered and exemplary this piece.
Amazingly complex story Michael – so very well done!
Thank you so much Pat, your comments are always insightful and appreciated. Sometimes my muse heads off in the oddest directions and who am I to say otherwise..
I excel in the ordinary/ I suck at Jane Austen.
Strange, but I see more value in excelling in the ordinary, than excelling in Jane Austen and it’s supposed cache. The folks I know like that, are shit at being ordinary, and thus . . .
As the commenters have indicated, a very powerful poem hinting at dark secrets and hidden luxuria.
Before I clicked post, one more proofread. Good thing I did! Spell checker accepted the following version: ” . . . . hinting at dark secretes and . . . “, lol!
PS: (forgot) I wrote this comment in absolutes. Of course, there is grey scale and monochrome, too.
PSS: And, not all the type of folks who excel at Jane Austin, are shit at being ordinary. My apologies on that front too.
But that’s my problem when I write in absolutes — I have second thoughts as I don’t want to offend the wrong people.