You read my Works – whilst sipping Ale –

Distilled from Ginger Root –

You tip the Glass – but Fingers fail –

You clumsy big Galoot!

Poem 604 – my Favorite –

You saturate the Page!

The Book now drips – with sticky Sweet –

I’m in a blinding Rage!

Such gentle Verse – of Beauty rare –

And tragic Love-death Schisms

Should ne’er be cursed – or soiled unfair

By frankly rude Baptisms!

So prithee spare – my Poems from Thee –

No Ifs or Ands or Buts!

Don’t read my Book – especially –

If you’re a major Klutz!

10/19/2001

Author's Note: [First published in Anthology Online, July/August 2002].

Posted on 10/19/2001
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