going ape shit press #53 by mendlivian

  i'm starting to think something about him joining cia lit division...

 ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~

A St. Valentine's Day Massacre


If I slip down by the water's edge,
if I navigate a perilous path,
if I ride in on a milk-white steed,
Will a fond lover
with tresses following like a sacred river
await me?

If a dragon's lifeblood should bathe my sword in a crimson flood,
if a black knight should extract my lance from his mortal wound,
Will the dragon's lair,
will the black knights castle,
yield to me a fair princess?

(I never asked for a princess)

My virtues bore me
through perilous vanities,
to where I could wash away my reservations,
And I found her there.

I found her there with a fairer suitor
who had driven his jeep over paved roads
and met her by the hot tub of a hotel.

(Don't maidens want a paladin?)

I also found that you can no more win a maiden's love with kindness
than you can compel it with force;
And though maidens have rained down kisses on me for my sweet demeanor,
my lips must be bitter as bile,
for not one drop of that dulcet flow has trickled to my mouth.

The only lover who ever returned my affections
died long ago and left this place.
The engagement ring drew blood and tore flesh.
My last rites will be our wedding,
the marriage to be consummated on my deathbed.

This Valentine's Day spent brokenhearted over a woman
would be noble.
This Valentine's Day spent broken hearted over womankind
would be pathetic.
So I lose myself in the cloth
left behind by bride-to-be,
and await the liberating kiss of my betrothed.

 ~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
  if'n you're interested in joining phearnet, a message network dedicated to
the discussions of zines like red, hoe, and gasp... email rattle at
rattle@cybercom.com.