& he's taken his illustrious, his most willing, his ingenious ingénues
in crepe & candy-apple-pink & one by one ensconced them upstairs
where a wanderer from Turkey or Tibet may, at any time, come & nuzzle
& fondle & interrupt their sleep & toy with their transgressions
&...& anyone at any time may come & unwrap the wicked Wanda
from her revelry & the pixie Precious from her snicker & snooze
& when the time is right you too may want to visit Violet & Virginia
& titillate a tight valise or probe a puckered synapse or wrestle
with Robert the Robber who lurks along the wailing wall & Yes - there
is even time for the feint of heart to hearken to the song of the smithy
who builds the chains & the executioner who slings the axe & to
waltz with the widow in the willowy gown who weeps all night & run
with the rude & ruddy runner in purple tights who blows you kisses
& will let you nibble her nosh for a petty price & pet her pony
for a penny & if you're specifically
meticulous & resourceful there will come a time for the goats to bleat
& the roosters to lay & it's then you'll gather your wits &
a silver goblet for luck & shake his hand & wish him luck &
pack a box & mail yourself to Galveston where a tiger waits &
a ship to Barbados & Miss Molly Malone...
