Curveball

It began much like

 a friendly game of catch,

with witty one-liners

 thrown to and fro,

each one smarter than

the one before, lingering

 much longer in the air, 

so as to share in its flirty,

 intellectual amusement.

 

 Before long, 
a ping pong pace of
 opposing beliefs were
shot across the speakers' floor, 
and some, too discordant to ignore, 
provoked a cacophony amid the 
previously harmonious rapport, 
now a wordy whirlwind of a storm

 that finally fumbled into a 

sad and hopeless silence.

Had anyone been keeping score of
 all the targeted, hurtful slurs,
the cross-fire of hostile insults hurled
in this emotionally wounding, verbal war
between two people so supposedly in love?

No glove can protect the heart

and shield the soul, when curveballs

pierce with such cruel force, so steer

clear of these catalysts that threaten

your dialogues and tête–à–têtes,

and put your catcher's mitt to rest! 

Written for Susan's Mid-week Motif:
'Conversation' at Poet's United  

 

 Thanks for visiting!
Poppy