COUNSELOR: Poetry Crisis Line, what is your emergency?
CALLER: Why should a foolish marriage vow, / Which long ago was made, / Oblige us to each other now / When passion is decay’d?
COUNSELOR: Good question. Are there children?
CALLER: We lov’d, and we lov’d, as long as we could, / Till our love was lov’d out in us both:
COUNSELOR: Sounds like you tried but couldn’t conceive. Is there joint property?
CALLER: But our marriage is dead, when the pleasure is fled:
COUNSELOR: I see. Have you discussed this with your spouse?
CALLER: ‘Twas pleasure first made it an oath.
COUNSELOR: So maybe just try something new.
CALLER: If I have pleasures for a friend,
COUNSELOR: Uh, I said something new, not someone new. Unless your spouse is also into that.
CALLER: And farther love in store,
COUNSELOR: It certainly sounds like you’re into that.
CALLER: What wrong has he whose joys did end,
COUNSELOR: That is a matter for you and your spouse to discuss openly, before it builds deeper resentment and…
CALLER: And who could give no more?
COUNSELOR: …and you’re already talking about alimony.
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