TSM 165

~ qbit 
Even Charon on the grift –
pennies in the eyes to die 
were fool's gold –
no more scrimping off deadbeats,
no hustling poor-mouth shades 
in their scarecrow burial suits:

The Lethe now full Disney,
theme park’d thrills and chills –
the Daredevil, the Hellfire, the Screamer –
"Look ma! No hands!" 
Folks can't get enough.
Grab a BeelzeBurgerTM with cheese.

One more time, pretty please?
Lucifer's Crash Cars, the Dirt Nap Fun House –
"Step right up!" – midway shooting galleries 
with rapid-fire, drop clip nightclubs –
and over here: nine-layer Inferno Sundaes,
sno-cones cold and blue as lips.

When night falls, take the River Ride.
Premium death wishes 
and first class cabins on the boat,
or just fly over private jet –
enjoy casket-strength bourbon
chilled with whisky bones.

Oh Miyata, Miyata my love,
you can't take it with you, no.
I've called for your car,
and filled your marble suite with roses.
Your chauffeur holds his cap out
for a tip.

I'm so sorry, your purse is empty –
the white one you never used
from the bottom dresser drawer.
The driver will take a kiss in lieu –
Your mouth, a burnt offering.
Your eyes, payment in ash.

The Sunday Muse

29 thoughts on “TSM 165”

  1. I held a twisted grin for a moment, the ride to end rides. I wouldn’t take your tipping advice, but then that didn’t sound the worst, just bad acting sounding for bad behavior.
    ..

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  4. kaykuala

    Great take qbit! Lots of twists and turns of the Disney-like attractions. You have touched the yearnings of many kids who are now clawing to dig Disney again. The close is an unexpected twist though!

    Hank

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  5. I am SO digging those final two lines.Oh yes! Figures the boatman is on the take and even the fat lady only sings dirges, but with a disco beat. Kick-ass stiff my friend. I’m just glad to have survived!

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  6. Wow! This poem demonstrates (though I needed no proof) that an image can spark amazing poetry in those with talent and the gift of words. I especially admire the closing stanza.

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  8. Totally out of the box this one, a calm invitation to a wild ride. Interesting where this prompt lured your creative muse.
    Happy Sunday qbit

    Much💛love

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  9. Both the central vision and every image you illustrate it with are so striking and original, qbit. I had to read several times just to maximize my enjoyment and savor all the flavors, from the belly laugh of the Beelzeburger (!) to “..sno-cones cold and blue as lips…” this was a feast of ideas and exquisite embellishments. You aced the image and all it’s weight of fate and fear. Loved it.

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    1. Thank you so much. I had such a great time with this. Yeah, I piled it all on, there in the middle, couldn’t resist all that opportunity for dark humor!

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  11. Your ability to take an image and veer off in the most unexpected directions is unparalleled. We left the land of Disney sixteen years ago and never looked back (for good reason) … I do like me a good bourbon and Mr. Chauffeur would have to fit my bike into the car.

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    1. “Fit my bike into the car”!!! I love that Helen. Yes, we can pedal-push back on the whole shooting match by being true to ourselves. Or at least that is my hope!

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  12. People here would crave to go to your theme park after the Covid rules are abandoned here next saturday. You’ll make good money with a BeelzeBurgerTM with cheese, even though I hesitate about the cheese, maybe ketchup with a reddening dentist pill will do.
    Loved to read this!!

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  15. Disney is the great unifier, though. It is more than a cultural institution, it is the hallmark of an entire civilization. The castle on the Disney grounds is a distillation of the past in the best tradition of the artists of the Renaissance. It is meant to stir emotions, and that it does. That it does.

    — Catxman

    http://www.catxman.wordpress.com

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