Some More Lads


	ERIC GREEN
ArtsForge Main Page Eric Green's Art Gallery	ERIC GREEN	Poetry Showcase Next Poem Previous Poem

SOME MORE LADS

I
His father descended from kings
(was the last true chevalier).
He possessed wealth and a pure heart,
Fame and perfect manners,
Was a genius and drew like
A hawk swooping for prey--
Yet no woman would have him.
A childhood illness deformed him,
So he kept absinthe in a hollow cane
And begged whores just to hold him.
His great joy was on the sea
Where he flew in his small boat
Like a Greek god running to Olympia.

II
He was fat and pompous,
Wealthy as a lord with a factory
To produce his huge dull paintings.
He painted two amazing things:
One pair of promiscuous lusty breasts
And one horrific drooling mouth.
Maybe on second thought
He was a visionary
who foretold the 1980s.

III
He painted without compare for 8 years,
Then simply blew up and came in
Where it was warm and easy.
At late life, in anger,
He copied the early brilliance
Over and over to try to fill
That hole with money.
He should have known better,
He should have stayed outside,
But who has a right to blame him?
In 8 years he did more than most.