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- Dec 29, 2002
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I had that idea about the satirical story of a guy who simply can't get a girl because he was stuck with being cursed. One thing led to another and this eventually took place as a poem, which I wrote two evenings ago. Tell me if you like it. Or if you don't. The title is such because I felt it might be considered too narrative to be true poetry--hence, it was between poetry and regular prose narrative, making it in a shade of gray. (c) 2004.
"Gray Poetry"
Sat down in a shady club
One evening, well past midnight
The hours are a blur
It’s too late to
Imagine, think, theorize, hypothesize
A man waltzes in
Slight of frame, weak
Of build and likely of mind, too
His figure not enough to
Part the hours-old haze
He slumped down next to me
Looked like he had a story
So, curious, an inquiry was made
The man glanced
Right up, through me
Staring. Staring.
“Ready for this, son?”
“Well, I gue…”
“An intense tale of woe.
That’s the story I spin.”
And so began his tale of sin:
Years ago, before the war
I was young, strong,
Hearty, full-hearted, full…
Of myself. That’s fine
Though, back then, I was
Young, and all those evil vices
Are unquestionably legal
And obviously full of merit
Partied with pals,
Bedded women
A regular kid’s life
That was what I had
She came along then
Not like the other babes
She was dirtier, coarser,
Rougher—not ladylike
Son, if you described her
I’d think that She—
She’d be the last woman
I’d ever be with.
But we talked some
And boy, I had this
Absolutely bizarre
Beyond-crazy idea
Maybe she wasn’t so…
Dirty, coarse, rough, whore-like
But this girl was one
I thought I could pour in
Just enough of the important things…
Hope, time, effort,
Love—afterwards, things
Would be fixed in short order
And with that quick fix
I wanted a happily-
Ever, forever, forever and ever,
eternal, everlasting,
Everafter.
You realize, kid, I never
Spoke with this girl once
Just heard about the Lady
Gossip, rumors, that’s all.
Eventually, a pal wanted to date her
“Unbelievable!” I thought.
And so I decided
I would make the
Fateful, foreboding first move
All the guys and girls
Were hanging around at
An unassuming party
The music came on
I threw my cards down
Boy, you don’t know
How much it took…
I asked Lady to dance.
Just once, to beat my pal
I though it’d be fast
Fun, easy, bragging rights
How wrong can a boy be!
I got caught up
Despite myself, that
One little fairytale fantasy
Was taking over my life
Wonderful times, no other
Words come remotely close
To describing them.
And then one morning,
Woke up a little late
Realized she wasn’t right
Next to me anymore
At first I thought
It was a bad dream
But time knocked me out
Of that foolish, foggy haze
By the time I thought
For myself again,
She was long gone,
Not hours, son,
Or days, weeks, nor months
Years it took,
But I got myself back,
Together, as a whole
And being whole—
Boy!
It never felt so wonderful
Especially after being shattered
Into minute pieces
That’s about all for my story
It’s getting real late
Get up, buy yourself something
Here’s a little small thing for
A second of your time.
Thanks, boy.
And so he handed me
A hundred-dollar bill
And left silently,
Into the murk from
which he came
Never saw that scraggly man again
I looked back up, through
The club. Saw a girl
Standing alone, she looked…
Really smutty, nobody I’d ever,
Ever date. Decided to
Stay in my seat, to
Simply avoid her.
I eventually stood, to
Walk on out, I needed
To sleep, but I mysteriously
Went without purpose at all
The wrong way entirely.
“Wanna dance?”
"Gray Poetry"
Sat down in a shady club
One evening, well past midnight
The hours are a blur
It’s too late to
Imagine, think, theorize, hypothesize
A man waltzes in
Slight of frame, weak
Of build and likely of mind, too
His figure not enough to
Part the hours-old haze
He slumped down next to me
Looked like he had a story
So, curious, an inquiry was made
The man glanced
Right up, through me
Staring. Staring.
“Ready for this, son?”
“Well, I gue…”
“An intense tale of woe.
That’s the story I spin.”
And so began his tale of sin:
Years ago, before the war
I was young, strong,
Hearty, full-hearted, full…
Of myself. That’s fine
Though, back then, I was
Young, and all those evil vices
Are unquestionably legal
And obviously full of merit
Partied with pals,
Bedded women
A regular kid’s life
That was what I had
She came along then
Not like the other babes
She was dirtier, coarser,
Rougher—not ladylike
Son, if you described her
I’d think that She—
She’d be the last woman
I’d ever be with.
But we talked some
And boy, I had this
Absolutely bizarre
Beyond-crazy idea
Maybe she wasn’t so…
Dirty, coarse, rough, whore-like
But this girl was one
I thought I could pour in
Just enough of the important things…
Hope, time, effort,
Love—afterwards, things
Would be fixed in short order
And with that quick fix
I wanted a happily-
Ever, forever, forever and ever,
eternal, everlasting,
Everafter.
You realize, kid, I never
Spoke with this girl once
Just heard about the Lady
Gossip, rumors, that’s all.
Eventually, a pal wanted to date her
“Unbelievable!” I thought.
And so I decided
I would make the
Fateful, foreboding first move
All the guys and girls
Were hanging around at
An unassuming party
The music came on
I threw my cards down
Boy, you don’t know
How much it took…
I asked Lady to dance.
Just once, to beat my pal
I though it’d be fast
Fun, easy, bragging rights
How wrong can a boy be!
I got caught up
Despite myself, that
One little fairytale fantasy
Was taking over my life
Wonderful times, no other
Words come remotely close
To describing them.
And then one morning,
Woke up a little late
Realized she wasn’t right
Next to me anymore
At first I thought
It was a bad dream
But time knocked me out
Of that foolish, foggy haze
By the time I thought
For myself again,
She was long gone,
Not hours, son,
Or days, weeks, nor months
Years it took,
But I got myself back,
Together, as a whole
And being whole—
Boy!
It never felt so wonderful
Especially after being shattered
Into minute pieces
That’s about all for my story
It’s getting real late
Get up, buy yourself something
Here’s a little small thing for
A second of your time.
Thanks, boy.
And so he handed me
A hundred-dollar bill
And left silently,
Into the murk from
which he came
Never saw that scraggly man again
I looked back up, through
The club. Saw a girl
Standing alone, she looked…
Really smutty, nobody I’d ever,
Ever date. Decided to
Stay in my seat, to
Simply avoid her.
I eventually stood, to
Walk on out, I needed
To sleep, but I mysteriously
Went without purpose at all
The wrong way entirely.
“Wanna dance?”