Music Hall Comedian
The drummer’s
burlesque rim shot
splatters over
bored and anxious coughs
and wheezes
from behind the footlight faces
on musty seats
they wait for my jawing to end
wait for the girl
with the jewels on top
who promenades
draping silk
hanging like curtain slivers
pretending to hide
her pasty-covered nipples.
Carita deLovely
with her many veils
glows and struts
into my bit:
seltzer bottle
wilted daisy
Harpo horn
and baggy pants.
(They all retreat stage left
forgetting to wait for the blackout.)
She dips and fans
smiles and pirouettes
dances bemused
someone always yells
“take it off”
but it’s strip Tease
she never disrobes
until pounding
raw music power
canned heavy metal
banging rock n’ roll
from subwoofers
scores the prurient scene.
Blue light shadows
red light mirrors
Tiffany takes her stage
white light overexposes flesh
naked flesh
tanned unblemished flesh
oiled and sequined flesh
pierced bellybutton flesh
no one yells “take it off”
there’s nothing to take off
it is already gone!
This tailored Siren
twirls the pole
cartwheels and dives
springs off the stage
lands softly.
She’s on her back
she’s in your face
she’s a gynecology lesson.
When the stage lights dim
the house lights glare
I haul my baggy pants
and sagging bladder home
where I watch today’s comedy star
insult my TV screen
and wonder
can I ever be funny again?
The drummer’s
burlesque rim shot
splatters over
bored and anxious coughs
and wheezes
from behind the footlight faces
on musty seats
they wait for my jawing to end
wait for the girl
with the jewels on top
who promenades
draping silk
hanging like curtain slivers
pretending to hide
her pasty-covered nipples.
Carita deLovely
with her many veils
glows and struts
into my bit:
seltzer bottle
wilted daisy
Harpo horn
and baggy pants.
(They all retreat stage left
forgetting to wait for the blackout.)
She dips and fans
smiles and pirouettes
dances bemused
someone always yells
“take it off”
but it’s strip Tease
she never disrobes
until pounding
raw music power
canned heavy metal
banging rock n’ roll
from subwoofers
scores the prurient scene.
Blue light shadows
red light mirrors
Tiffany takes her stage
white light overexposes flesh
naked flesh
tanned unblemished flesh
oiled and sequined flesh
pierced bellybutton flesh
no one yells “take it off”
there’s nothing to take off
it is already gone!
This tailored Siren
twirls the pole
cartwheels and dives
springs off the stage
lands softly.
She’s on her back
she’s in your face
she’s a gynecology lesson.
When the stage lights dim
the house lights glare
I haul my baggy pants
and sagging bladder home
where I watch today’s comedy star
insult my TV screen
and wonder
can I ever be funny again?
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