‘A marriage is that state where man and wife
are each prepared to swear the other party snores.’
My love, this is no legal separation, not a cause
for weeping and for lamentation if your breath of life
drives me to seek the blessed silence of a distant room.
Pay no attention to Ecclesiastes; in our case
desire not fails, it’s simply put on hold; that’s no disgrace.
We know what Marvell says: there’s no embracing in a tomb,
and so goodnight; our parting’s au revoir and not adieu.
When morning comes, I’m coming back to you.