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Posted by Doeslittle on August 15, 2008 - 13:34

Sometimes you ring me up out of the blue
Or send me messages with declarations
About how you owe me a drink
When you don’t -
You make this up to tempt me
To wallow in your ostentation
At that private members’ club
You paid to join, but can’t afford
To drink in, you want to rake up
Dried men and their wallets
And their platinum cards,
You ring me up because sometimes swine
Can’t help wanting others on their bellies
For shared stagnation in their mud,
But I do not want to dwell on
Your leaking viscera, your guts,
I don’t want to slide on your oily slick,
I do not like the temperature
Of your Jacuzzi spa jets enema,
I don’t want to flirt with whirlpool heads
Or drown in the moist words glistening
Across walnut tables and low lighting
That make me want to resort
To obnoxious, to knock over drinks
And throw up in your handbag,
To rub your dirty pug noses
In something real or important,
I don’t want to sit eyelashed
Under the air conditioned,
Recycled arrogance,
Sometimes I wonder
Why you ring me up to hear me tell you no,
Cobble my excuses, maybe I feel like this new
Fangled thing, some mangled thing
You want to drag out as cheap entertainment
Still, even though I’ve said no politely,
And no, go lightly, on the feelings
I presume you’re hiding somewhere,
Sometimes I think it would be better if I said no
With meaning, said no more like this instead.

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Comments

csquirrel | August 15, 2008 - 13:39

or: why can't we be rude to old friends who are no longer friends and whose values we abhor?

which is why I like it, as I'm often wondering the same

as a polite reminder, can you send the subject (if they are indeed real) a link to the poem here?

Doeslittle | August 15, 2008 - 13:46

NO!!! I'm far too polite and terrified to do that and yes, sadly, it's all very real.

tcook | August 15, 2008 - 14:28

I love a good poetic rant - and this is a real good one.

Doeslittle | August 15, 2008 - 14:38

Thanks! One day I'm hoping the polite 'No's will sink in as opposed to exposing the rant.

keleph | August 15, 2008 - 21:01

Boiled along very well with your usual so-strong imagery. Hey, even if the gentle wistful tone eludes you as you say, you can always get them pig's guts images that realy set the poem alight!

Dynamaso | August 17, 2008 - 03:39

Some great imagery here. It is indeed a pity we don't have the courage to tell some people exactly what we think of them but then, if we did it wouldn't inspire such good work as this.

niki72 | August 17, 2008 - 15:05

The anger in this is great. It must have been cathartic to get it all out on the page.

Foster | August 18, 2008 - 01:08

This would be a great performance piece, DL.

Doeslittle | August 18, 2008 - 18:51

Thank you K, D, Niki and F...I guess it's very angry, but with a wry smile. I've never performed a poem so if I ever get the chance I might give this one a go. And yes, K, I'm better at guts than subtle - will leave that to you.

littleditty | August 21, 2008 - 15:56

great! there's a tumbling of words -liked the fall of the middle section especially, just enough tumble and contol -bravo!

Doeslittle | August 21, 2008 - 16:10

Thanks littleditty...just commented on your eyelash pondering poem which I liked very much!