tears of a clown

my tears flowed like wine because you said you'd not be mine and then they flowed like cheap champagne because you caused me endless pain they flowed like seltzer water because you were the devil's daughter they flowed like chamomile tea because you meant the world to me i scanned the darkening skies above dreaming of eternal love desperately searching for a sign that you would finally be mine alas, alas, my dream came true now i can only say to you i hope the times of sad regret are ones that we can both forget

frankie and johnny: a villanelle

frankie pulled out her gat her eyes were pools of hate johnny put on his hat don't look at me like that johnny saw it was too late frankie pulled out her gat on the window sat a cat silent and placid as fate johnny put on his hat you dirty stinking rat you was always second-rate frankie pulled out her gat why don't we have a chat our differences are not so great johnny put on his hat a breeze wafted through the flat "you had your chance to be straight" frankie pulled out her gat johnny put on his hat

modern age

this is the modern age so they tell me anyhow things used to be one way but they are different now how fortunate we are to live in these bright times when the burning fires of truth have devoured history's lies how terrible the darkness in which poor humans lay farewell to folly's shadows hello to bright new day i hope that none among us dwell fondly on the past now let us all march forward for we are free at last

nature's way

see how the little seagull floats over the stormy sea see how the little termite devours the mighty tree see the little mosquito spread oceans of disease as in the river's placid flow the crocodile take his ease see the platoons of scarlet ants munch whole sugar plantations and the humble tsetse fly devastate human nations see the smiling monkey slowly peeling a pomegranate as wind and wave and eternity erode the spinning planet

town tramp

there's one in every town one that gets left behind when the other girls head for broadway or hollywood and vine there's something about her something not quite there you think she'd be long gone but she's still here marked for trouble from the day she was born daughter of darkness child of scorn they whisper behind the curtains snicker at the general store you'd think she'd have had enough but she comes back for more len jones is a deacon in the church bob jackson has a spotless reputation but their eyeballs always follow her when she walks past the trailways station tommy wilson is the quarterback on the undefeated high school team but even on the night before the big game she haunts his dreams at night she goes out walking with her handbag trailing low she must be going somewhere but where is there to go? she wanders past the pool hall saunters past the five and dime she looks up at the moon and stars but stops at the county line

a mother's prayer

the angels will be waiting in heaven when they strap you to the electric chair they'll be waiting in heaven, joey if they listen to a mother's prayer if they listen to a mother's prayer for justice to be finally done for the truth to be finally triumphant as bright as the rising sun this world is fallen and twisted and drowned in a swamp of sin to save her helpless children oh how can a mother begin? you were such a beautiful child maybe just a little bit wild but deep down you were just pretending your inner light burned neverending your soul shone forth for all to see but you aroused the jealousy of those who want to drag things down there are plenty of them in this town who can't see in front of their noses and always see thorns not roses who are blinded by truth and beauty and think denial is their duty no, it wasn't the nicest neighborhood but i always taught you to be good yes, it was a mother's secret hope that you would be the first american pope now that hope will not be fulfilled thanks to mister district attorney de ville but what will be his own fate when he answers for his lies at heaven's gate? for the jurors who were led astray by his perfidy i have this to say i hope you never feel the pain i felt that day walking away in the rain the angels will be waiting in heaven when they strap you to the electric chair they'll be waiting in heaven, joey if they listen to a mother's prayer

a strange story

a strange story comes from the antarctic. on the morning of september 13th 17__, a vessel captained by the famous captain blackbeard was searching the waters directly north of the enderby abyssal plain in search of the giant cranch squid, when a longboat was spotted floating on the water. as night had fallen, it was impossible to make out if there were any inhabitants on board. "we shall wait until morning, " announced the captain, with his habitual caution. "if it is still there, we shall ascertain its exact situation, and the situations of anyone who might happen to be on board." "but captain," protested little nell, "there may be a map of the location of buried treasure on board the boat, or even a chest of treasure itself." "indeed," added sinbad the sailor," see how low in the water the stern is. there may well be a treasure chest weighing it down." "your point is well taken," replied blackbeard. "we can hardly afford to miss this chance," cried the medicine man. "especially considering how poorly our fortunes have gone since setting out on this unfortunate voyage, nominally in search of the giant cranch squid. after ten long months - no treasure - and no squid." "very well then," answered the captain. "the matter is settled. nellie, light a torch. lower a boat. an extra tot of rum, my lads, for every jolly jack tar who volunteers to board yon mysterious vessel - treasure or no treasure!" "i volunteer!" cried sinbad. "i will board the vessel first. who's with me, eh?" "i!" answered little nell. "i shall carry the torch!" "and i!" cried the medicine man. "i shall man the left front oar, right behind nellie!" "and i!" cried the wandering jew. "and i" cried the jesuit. "andI i!" cried the queen of clubs, shaking her curls. "and i!" shouted the queen of spades, louder than all the rest. the moonlight glittered on her eye patch. "oh, i shall go along," drawled the jack of diamonds, twirling his mustache. "then we have a crew," exclaimed sinbad. "well done, comrades, well and truly done!" in the twinkling of an eye the boat was lowered into the curiously placid water. with sinbad waving his cutlass and little nell holding the torch aloft, the little craft fairly sped along the surface toward the dark and silent vessel drifting in the mist. (professor thunderby paused and relit his pipe) and yet the drifting vessel seemed to remain curiously out of reach. "harder, comrades! harder!" cried the medicine man. "pull with a will!" a curious phosphorence played around the elusive craft, taunting the straining rowers. finally they drew abreast of the silent craft. but they had lost sight of the ship behind them. (professor thunderby's pipe went out again. the embers in the fireplace, likewise, flickered into darkness...) sinbad reached out with a grappling hook and seized the gunwale and pulled the drifting vessel close to the longboat. a desperate shout went up from the weary but jubilant oarpullers. little nell held her torch over the stern of the captured craft, which rode low and heavy in the water. "look!" she cried. "look ye! here be no treasure!" on the bottom of the boat, luridly lit by the flame of the torch, lay a body! the body of a young woman!" "is she dead?" cried the medicine man, looking over the shouder of sinbad. "dead?" he answered. "dead? aye, she looks like she's been dead these hundred years!"