Monday, October 16, 2006

My Split Self



A Letter To Cecil B. DeMille

Remember me,
Ipana Pearlywhites:
bit moviestar
from the Forties
who might've played
opposite Bogart
and George Raft,
but didn't?
Thirty-two
pillars of ivory
once graceful
now gone to dentures,
whose especially talented
agility of hips
and imaginative tongue
taught men a new language,
whose willing flesh
became a garbage dump
for every twobit producer
west of Bakersfield?
To look at me now
who'd ever guess
this chaste rhythm
of breath under breasts
that used to rise
like helium balloons
but sag tonight
like used condoms
once fired little crimson
cherry-sucker syllables of sugar?
No one.
I am become a history book
of refrigerated kisses
preserved on celluloid
between the pages.

:)

.

11 comments:

Suzan Abrams, email: suzanabrams@live.co.uk said...

Beautiful, Pepek.

The poet stays shrouded in an undented romance that refuses to leave even after a long time.

paris parfait said...

Such an amazing poem! Well done!

Tammy Brierly said...

I get to see the beautiful you! The poem was excellent!

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

hehe. I thank you, pepek thanks you. I was fooling around with my camera Sunday morning--the double image was an accident (as are most things in my life). But, I figured if you guys are not too embarrassed to post your picture (not that you SHOULD BE, of course!) then why should I be? Sometimes I even look awake, instead of drunk. pepek looks a lot like me tho', don't you think? :)

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

BTW, pepek says for me to tell you that Ipana is a purely fictional character....

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

And we don't have dentures, either.

mareymercy said...

Great poem! Love seeing your picture, too! You look every bit as awesome as I imagined you to be. :)

Joyce Ellen Davis said...

LOL! Thanks, twitch. We wish now that we had combed our hair.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes!!! Thanks Pepek - and LOVE the photo - a strong, fearless and beautiful woman.

Anonymous said...

Or should that be womans?

Anonymous said...

I love seeing the you behind your words, your strong poetry, your beautiful vision, Pepek. I'm glad to know you. xoxo