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Martha Rhodes

Martha Rhodes is the author of four collections of poetry, most recently The Beds. She teaches at Sarah Lawrence College and at the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College. She is the director of Four Way Books.

The Lovely Woman

Husband, who is that woman there,
that lovely woman barely clothed,
that woman barely clothed I see
in the corner of our room tonight?

A lovely woman barely clothed
I see in the corner of our room tonight.
Weapons locked up. I cannot
take arms, all my strength not to.

Husband, you know her, don't you,
That woman in the corner of our room—
Take arms, all my strength not to.
You know her, you do, stealing her

into our room tonight, that woman, barely
clothed, you think she's so lovely,
seated in the corner, facing us, mocking.
Weapons locked up, take arms? About to.

You know her too, he said. Once, she was you.