the wife box

my friend says wife
the word contains bells for him
it sings when he says it

I ask: what do you mean wife

wife is sacred

I ask: what is husband

I have never had one

I ask: you were one

I don't know

he asks: what do you mean wife

which wife? I say
my ideal of wife?
my role model of denial of alcoholism wife?
my experience in clinic of wife?

there are at least three
and maybe more

I ask: does the wife box equal
the husband box

are they the same

or different

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