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Family Quote by Alicia Ostriker

“Wanting All Husband, it's fine the way your mind performs Like a circus, sharp As a sword somebody has To swallow, rough as a bear, Complicated as a family of jugglers, Brave as a sequined trapeze Artist, the only boy I ever met Who could beat me in argument Was why I married you, isn't it, And…” quote by Alicia Ostriker
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““Wanting All Husband, it's fine the way your mind performs Like a circus, sharp As a sword somebody has To swallow, rough as a bear, Complicated as a family of jugglers, Brave as a sequined trapeze Artist, the only boy I ever met Who could beat me in argument Was why I married you, isn't it, And you have beaten me, I've beaten you, We are old polished hands. Or was it your body, I forget, maybe I foresaw the thousands on thousands Of times we have made love Together, mostly meat And potatoes love, but sometimes Higher than wine, Better than medicine. How lately you bite, you baby, How angels record and number Each gesture, and sketch Our spinal columns like professionals. Husband, it's fine how we cook Dinners together while drinking, How we get drunk, how We gossip, work at our desks, dig in the garden, Go to the movies, tell The children to clear the bloody table, How we fit like puzzle pieces. The mind and body satisfy Like windows and furniture in a house. The windows are large, the furniture solid. What more do I want then, why Do I prowl the basement, why Do I reach for your inside Self as you shut it Like a trunkful of treasures? Wait, I cry, as the lid slams on my fingers.””

Alicia Ostriker

About This Quote

Source Poem: “Husband” in The Poetry of Alicia Ostriker, 1998

The poem celebrates the messy, intimate partnership of marriage, blending love, conflict, and shared life.

In simple terms: Marriage is a complex, evolving partnership.

Key Takeaway

Embrace both love and conflict in relationships.

Themes

love marriage conflict growth

Mood

intimate reflective

Type

poetic personal

When to use this quote

  • counseling sessions
  • anniversary celebrations
  • cohabitation

Key Concepts

intimacy shared experience

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you navigate conflict while preserving love?
  • What rituals keep your partnership alive?
A Different Perspective

Romantic idealization may ignore power imbalances.

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