Thanks Joe now I know more about the injuries of the first world war,
Napoleon, Vietcong ,granddad and Lemony Snicket a lovely bundle
P
-----Original Message-----
From: Poetryetc: poetry and poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of joe green
Sent: 06 November 2007 13:31
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Unforgiven
*Unforgiven*
Sometime after Verdun my
Mother at about five years old
Hurried down some road in West Grove, Pa
Wanting to see the soldiers go off to war
And stepped on a nail and
Got tetanus but thank God recovered
But walked with a limp the rest of her life
A little limp but still I remember
When I was five seeing her
Stockings down around her ankles
Pounding "This goddamn leg"
Later she lied and said
She had polio when she was younger
And hinted of, perhaps, a year
In an Iron Lung during which
She never could imagine how
Her simple faith would be betrayed
And she would end up in Warrensville
With a son who was asked to leave
The altar boys. But when my father
Went to war I am certain that
He didn't hold my mother's wound
Against the Germans. He forgave them.
Or maybe never thought about it much
Him being the kind of guy who
Present at the Liberation of Paris in 44
Sent a postcard of the Eiffel Tower home
That said "This is as nice as it looks"
Which makes no sense at all.
And I forgive the Germans too and
My mother and father and my friend
Kevin who on a cross country drive
Probably around 1980 we arriving
In Davenport, Iowa about 3 of the clock
And I noticing that for some damn reason
The local cinema was showing that
Great Silent film Abel Gance's "Napoleon"
Suggested we abide there a while and see the
Movie and so we checked into some damn motel
And by the time the movie started Kevin
Was drunk babbling next to me and
Then rushing into the restroom to retch
Came back sitting next to me stinking of
Vomit and thought it funny to follow me
As I changed seats until I had to leave
Just when Napoleon is giving the fisheye
To Robespierre and had to before
That drunk fool could do anything about it.
Get in my Gremlin Hatchback and
Leave the fucker there him with maybe
10 bucks providing him ample opportunity
To notice that Davenport is a very nice River Town.
And I forgive the Vietcong and even
That Jamaican bastard who sidled up
To me as I slim and fit and fifty lounged
On a bench on the boardwalk in Atlantic City
Wondering which way the Mr. Planters Peanut
Store was and thinking I looked pretty damn good
And said " You want to buy a watch, Granddad?"
I forgive all.
Even everyone who wears a baseball cap backward.
All but you Lemony Snicket.
Who had the idea to write a series
Of Gothic Adams Family kind of
Children's books and actually wrote
Them me having the same idea
Years ago and counting on that.
Counting on that.
I know too much and so waited
Wanting them just so and you
You bastard have written them.
You, Lemony Snicket are
Unforgiven.
--
Joseph Green
The Pleasant Reviewer
Headmaster, St. John Boscoe Laboratory School
Switchboard Captain, Hollywood Colonial Hotel
All complaints shall be directed to:
Camelopard Breathwaite
The Fallows, 200 Fifth Avenue, Fredonia City
"That's Double Dependability"
Brought to you by Zenith Trans-Cosmic Radio
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