Rhodopis Rheomode

-For A.G.


Once the scales of misery were simple in demand:
sell your daughters' dimples for the hungry in the land
now blessed are the foolish, for they can roll no bones
& foolish are the blessed for they're bowling on their own
bashful is the gasper that's mastered in surprise
the miracle stealing up so slowly with a stealth of spies

slippery goes her step glass, whose pumpkin takes a stroll
while belly-up to ballyhoo & crawling in the coal
sweet brawlin' belle's old hoodoo warns:
'don't listen to no lemming murmer in your soul'

Why, that carriage lost a fortune; misdemeanor in the load
coachman went all feral but before he scampered down the road
first he shrugged, shook his head & shouted
'sonnyjim, there's jest a world of dif'rence in what is thought & what is knowed'

give 'em a lily, jack & send 'em to their maker
signed, sealed and eyelids peeled
scoured in sour mash & sweet potater

sure, her crinoline & crumpets felt a little overbold-
casting ballast overboard, best to bet on buoyance undersold
the punch was lean & lithesome
belladonna in the bowl
midnight came too early, eager on parole
it was announced in fact no prints would leave undefeated
-they was tickled to be told
such that they godfathered every phantom toadstool misunderstood
see em waltz & fumble just munchin' on their wood.

give 'em a lily, jack & send 'em to their maker
signed, sealed and eyelids peeled
scoured in sour mash & sweet potater

sought she some script direction in that scribbled mystery
hence queried up her showbiz dr
whose sagacious arching eyebrow snarled:
'its sufficient unto thee'.

well, the moral of the story, the destiny of the goal:
I won't kill no squirrels on friday nor whine about my hole
tho it fills me with confusion since its empty and completely out of my control