Cursing Chaucer

Cupid, bloodied to the elbow,
smearily dragged his arm
across his sweat-soaked brow,
grinned and watched the carnage
just off the starboard bow.


There, a pinkish frothing,
replete with Great White dorsals
and the disembodied limbs
of would be lovers,
straight suckered to the stupid site
of there own demise before
that Cupid's dev'lish eyes.

Later, Charlie, obtuse as ever,
contemplated the empty chum-bucket,
stinking in the bleak-bright winter sun.

Something akin to mock-horror arose,
a note of light-noir burbling up
through his obstinant lightness.

"A smorgasbord of stupidity,
sad, rote pseudo-romance,
coupled with dumb consumption
most certainly conspicuous..."

was what his once taut mind,
slackened over years of yearning
and unctous attempts at
understanding whispered weakly.

Piano, Piano...

A fellow more fully fucked
Charlie could not fathom.


Billy leaned heavily on two
horribly calloused and
bursitis bloated elbows,
gustily throwing back
Irish car-bombs-
reciting obscure Yeats.

His family, mostly buried,
with cancers riddled,
mowed down by amphetamine fueled
lorry drivers and, gen'rally,
victims to all manner of
spirit rending disaster.

Gen'rous William was-
and then some;

most notably
to the poor, unfortunately homely women
who themsleves threw,
without remnant of shame,
at unsuspecting non-locals
every fortnight or so.

In this saw our sentimental Chas
the trueness of his torn
but undefeated gallantry.

For, much to the surprise
and contradiction of the local
and much muck-minded local folk
Billy intervened in these pathetic scenes
and escorted them home himself.

And though the town was rife
with bawdy suppositions Charles'
few and discreet inquisitions in to
the few facts of these matters
confirmed his bleary, best
and hopeful suspicions-

all the lasses swore ( swearingly)
that nary a hammy hand was
ever laid upon them and
no fumey kisses e'er were attempted-

Old Billy just left them wobbling
at their front stoops with whatever
little dignity that hadn't managed
to throw away quite publicly.