One Man’s Wife

Akseli Gallen-Kallela

Unmasked Woman

One Man’s Wife

Not that he promised not to windowshop,

or refuse free samples; but he gave up

exploring warehouse bargains, and forgot

the trial offers he used to mail away for.

After, that is, she laid on the counter what

she'd long kept hidden under the penny-candy,

and demonstrated (one up-country Sunday)

the total inventory of one wife's general store.

~ Philip Booth ~