Two Birds, Possibly Three

He asked to be sweet-talked in poetry
Not knowing
Or knowing not caring
For the danger—
Like asking a surgeon:
Remove an organ
A sculptor:
Carve me
Something
A hurricane: tickle my ear
Like requesting Frank Costin:
two monocoque chassis please
Knowing nothing of French|
Or aerodynamics
Without a dictionary
And an annotated History
of the Poet as a Young Person

But the Poet merciful
instead says you’re a dear
And charming classy clever:
courteous brave and true
and don’t forget handsome
strong tall all
the things men should be
and often aren’t:
Especially generous.

© 2005 Kathy Skaggs