burlesque lover
where were you
when I was sucking
cock on
Bell St
burlesque lover were
you
in your room unsated
craving the belle
époque
in ruffly-tuffly
panties
or have you broadened
with age
like a stripper’s arse
fallen women get
up
and put some lippy on
warm today in
Spiegeltent for me
not trudging back from side streets
to the highway here
craft beer bottles
stay firm in hand and
on artist’s heads unbounced
it’s not good
all this fondling
in that zeitgeist
cravings for cabaret
put paint on a pig
don’t you know Al
Jolsen
that burlesque of a nigger
was fun
minstrels were all the
rage
then the lynchings
ReplyDeleteDear Kerri
what a poem
light and chilling
like good underwear
final and dark
like a crack in the neck
Oh Rob, many thanks. It took me years to get this one out. xx
ReplyDeleteKerri, I adore this poem! I read it last night and have come back to it a few times today - it's one of those wonderfully haunting, powerful ones one keeps returning to. Brilliant stuff!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks K, I was nail-biting, working at it. xx
Deletewhoa!
ReplyDeletehaha! Giddy up!
Deletewonderful atmosphere Kerri ... the kind I like, seductively smith-ed cross time and over a few lines. more anytime...:)
ReplyDelete