Conscious Uncoupling

The wedding ring on the dresser
Reminds me of so many things
The courtship, the proposal
The witnesses, of putting vows to ink

The union of two lives
Trying to co-habitate as one
It started out great
But slowly got undone

Is anyone to blame?
For the rising 'disagreements'?
Were we too nice to argue
Shout, like our parents' generation?

But disagree we did
Over many a small thing
Little facets of a mirror
Reflecting slights to plain annoying

From harsh light we turned
Naturally to what's soothing
Refinding our own cubby corners
Stashed with pre-relationship things

From a minute to an hour a day
Nothing much to say
At dinner the food grew cold
The desire to tuck... get away

In bed the mood was never 'in' 
Our backs stared at each other more
when once our breathing was assuring
Now it sounds as loud as a snore

We drifted yet no one daring
To mention that dreaded D-word
For that would be so embarassing
Two adults failing to make it work

"We ought to have known better
Educated as we were to the hilt
But no one told us that a marriage
Needs polish to achieve that lovely gilt

But we are loathe to try again
Our generation just don't
We are either too smug or
Think a match is out there to bring home

Or maybe we are too social
Being friends is just fine
Male or female, sis or bro
We can be pals, a relationship not cut fine

For our worlds can still spin
Overlapping like Venn diagram sets
Just not intimate nor romantic
Continue with our own goals, a reset

So, let's just uncouple
And let go of each other's hand
We can be adult about this
No need to visit divorce dramaland

It was surprisingly easy
Only a fleeting feeling of regret
When we agreed, there was euphoria
Disagreeing, we want to take a step back

So what does that say of love?
That it is but a fleeting moment of glad?
That we are more practical of mind
No need to treasure the comfort of our bed?

Or that we want to enjoy
Every moment for till it lasts
Knowing that stuff just don't work out
Like an amusement ride grinding to rest

Hiaz, Conscious Uncoupling....
So what does that mean?
That we have come to our senses
Rising above that 'for sake of child' din?

So we are no longer a couple
Back to being friends
Till we meet a new significant other
We'll hang out like mates in a used couple den

Divorce is such a bitter word
Like a relationship "dying" by "force"
Conscious Uncoupling is like a handcuff
Deliberately released, no longer enforced

Free, to do what each other like
Free, to do what in the heart delights
No major sense of loss
No major sense of disregard

You go your way
I will go mine
But around a child we still dance
An extended family where everyone shines

Love does make fools the best of us
And love's eye is quite forever
It can never conscious uncouple
And so there's hope yet in the marriage theatre

- by TC Lai