Feste's Lute

I remember in 2nd grade I was in a class with 12 boys and 1 girl. It was a small town of 400, so weekends and after-school consisted of hunting frogs, beating up the new kid (me), and blowing up star wars figures (and thus any windfall that would have filled our college funds).

Anyway, the culture was one of conformity. A few were the cool ones and we all took our cues. The music of the time was michael jackson, mostly because, in that small town, it was the best form of rebellion that could be had… given the bigotry of the elders. I, on the other hand, listened to the Police. It is the one counter-culture action I can remember committing during that time period. That was really due to our foreign exchange student at the time. Ha.

So, that first halloween everyone wanted to be a vampire. Amazingly, my parents let me. And there’s always been a fascination with the ethos, I’ve never bothered to analyze it. I find those who do quite dull, or at least the ones I’ve read.

Anyway… today I had no great inspiration. The phrase “a poke in the eye” started me and I went to playing word-games. It was originally going to be about some sort of vampire eater. Eventually it became a sort of 12-step program. So… does a recovering undead really ever get off the sauce?

a poke in the eye-teeth
welcome indeed
backwards vampirism
crunchy bicuspids

de-frock, cloak and unhinge
lids from coffins
such a lovely window seat
for those stormy days

those things you can’t abide;
italian cafes
and monasteries,
don’t shun evening dress

one needn’t forbear all.
villages still
send their maids and virgins
on late night walks for water.