"You are everyone to me,"
said Caligula, and he gave me a scarf
to hide the hickeys--
when you split with a devil
it gets tricky
not to fall apart.
Spending Christmas at Joan of Arc's
with real saints, a faux fire
and presence under the tree--
I can't think exactly which to do
for truth or dare
except to keep my tail clear of the rocking chair.
Joan's guest room smells like
balsam and baguettes
and oh you crusty evergreen--
who's the fairest
of them all?
Who's so full of shyness
that she can't steal on down the hall?
That Frenchy firework, me
mais oui.
____________
for Word Garden Word List--The Smiths. The middle section has been edited.
Music: The Smiths Ask
Caligula to Joan of Arc - now that's a turn about, but well worth it! He was supposedly one of the worst rulers. Love anything Joan of Arc...
ReplyDeleteI love the surrealism of your poems and this one is no exception. That first stanza particularly is just brilliance and I love the question:
ReplyDelete"Who's so full of shyness
that she can't steal on down the hall?"
:-)
"When you split with a devil, it gets tricky not to fall apart" is one of the best lines, ever. I like the "presence" under the tree. The room smelling of balsalm and baguettes is awesome. Another amazing and highly entertaining tale.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what to say. The first stanza was so audacious with getting a hickey from Caligula I can't even get to the second stanza. Have to just let that sink in first.
ReplyDeleteOK, now the second stanza is also full stop. Faux fire? "Presence under the tree"??? TRUTH OR DARE WITH JOAN OF ARC? With your devil tail and the rocker. Have to clear my head again.
ReplyDeleteI did it. I was able to read it all the way through. The ending is fantastic, "That Frenchy firework, me / mais oui." and we have to contemplate "French" here in context: tongue, langue, language...
ReplyDeleteI began to write "I am speechless" until I saw qbit's comment. Nevertheless, that is what I am. I have told you this more than once ... the world at large needs your poems.
ReplyDelete