I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

17 April 2008

The Insult Poem

April PAD Challenge 15: insult. (A bit of a cop-out; it was supposed to BE an insulting poem, not be ABOUT insults, but ...)

My first husband, Don,

was a master of invective.
Not once did he utter
obscenity or blasphemy,
no swear words at all,
but I stood open-mouthed
at the stream of creative insults
pouring non-stop
from his twisted lips.

"You poxy, mole-faced, yellow-bellied,
flea-bitten …" on and on it went.
You'd think he'd run out of steam,
his invention dwindle, but no.
I can't even remember half the words.
I doubt if he could either,
if anyone had asked later.
It was pure, spontaneous improv.
It was poetry!

© Rosemary Nissen-Wade 2008
16-17/4/08

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