Life in Hell, in Marriage

Life in Hell, in Marriage

Says she is a good Muslim
Cause she prays 5 times a day
Thinking she’s going to heaven
While making her husband’s life hell
He is a nice nice guy
Good provider, loving father
Well educated, helpful friend,
Loves to read books
She kept pressuring him to buy more
Get a bigger house, another new car
Citing all the relatives and friends
Who are bigger spenders and showoffs
How some other husbands are working
Two or three jobs
Buying jewelry and precious gifts for their wives
She worships money he thought
And is miserable because
She’s being materialistic instead of content
She picked fights with him
Stopped talking, made threats like
She’d get him arrested, and even
Called the police a few times
But then would call them back to cancel
In America, he realized
If a man look at his wife sideways
She can get him arrested for “domestic violence”
Like guilty until proven innocent
She bullied, scared and demoralized him
She never made a gratitude list
Too lazy to count her Blessings
But instead, blamed him
For the lack of money and spending
Her religion is consumerism he thought
She’s mesmerized by shiny objects
“As seen on TV”
Or seen with jealousy in other people’s hands
Triggering her to be unhappy and frustrated
Then she would explode
Like a volcano in his face
She berated him in front of the kids
Couldn’t see that her fights
Were hindering their development
She threatened divorce many times
He didn’t want to throw the kids under that “bus”
Nor break up their family
Steadfast, he faced her harassment
And having a stroke
But at times losing his temper.
He carried on patiently
Til the night their daughter got married
He had the papers ready
The next day he filed for divorce and left.
Today, the kids are close to him
And don’t enjoy visiting her
Cause she is still miserable, blaming her
Negative attitude and predicament on him.
He enjoys his old age
His health has improved
He laughs
And feels like a freed slave

By Fazeel Azeez Chauhan
2-12-16