New Poetry—The Carnival of the Ages

Once again the odd coincidences of the calendar and its sometimes serendipitous connections have inspired something which might charitably be described as poetry.

The Carnival of the Ages

February 12, 2013

The Carnival of the Ages slides in

            on lard and bacon grease.

Lanky Abe moonwalks down Bourbon Street,

            birthday bro’ Charley Darwin’s beard

            snarled with tossed beads.

The hot/cool cats and kittens of the NAACP

            wail the martial music,

            Doc Dubois on liquorish stick.

            Miz Ovington on banjo.

And back behind the horses

            in red kidskin slippers and fabulous

            pointy hat Joe Ratzinger

            in the bubble car float

            glides to the rockin’ chair

            waiving equally and beatifically

            to flashed tits and saucy moons.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

Tomorrow is Lent,

            let’s say we give up

            joylessness and priggish bigotry

            this year for a change

            and see how that works out,

—Patrick Murfin