TOM RIPLEY
_______________
The Double
Mozart Express
The Garrote
Answered Prayer
Gentleman’s Agreement
Black Forest
_________________
THE DOUBLE
“But Jonathan knew
he knew exactly
what he was doing”
—Patricia Highsmith
RIPLEY’S GAME
_________________
The double creates—
apprehension not fear
The film and novel—
both RIPLEY’S GAME
_______________
The way both play—
with using each other
Novel on one hand—
filmscript on the other
______________
Novel with the usual—
interior dialog and
Filmscript with its—
surprise forgeries
MOZART EXPRESS
“Jonathan then realized
he felt no pity for himself”
—Patricia Highsmith
RIPLEY’S GAME
__________________
The double rubs off—
on the reader / moviegoer
The sudden appearance—
like Malkovich on the train
_______________________
“That won’t be necessary”—
he says to Jonathan
“Hold this,” he says—
the deadly nylon garrote
____________
Squeezing into the stall—
bathroom on the train
“First class so crowded”—
3 dead Italian Mafioso
THE GARROTE
“Look at this garrote,”
Reeves pulled his left
hand quickly from his
trouser pocket”
—Patricia Highsmith
RIPLEY’S GAME
______________
A thin whitish rope—
a nylon looped noose
Strong as wire—
a quick sharp jerk
________________
Marcangelo Mafia capo—
big shot just under the boss
Munich more active now—
than Marseille for dope
______________
The Hamburg Casino boys—
pleased with Bianca’s hit
Knocking off a Genotti now—
perfect for Italian feud
ANSWERED PRAYER
“Tom had once succumbed
in the case of Dickey Greenleaf.
Could it be that Trevannny
Was one of us? But us to
Tom was only Tom Ripley.”
—Patricia Highsmith
RIPLEY’S GAME
_______________
The problem is how can a poet—
successfully combine within a
Simple poem all he knows—
about all other forms of writing?
_____________
Film scripts, plays, reportage—
novels, short stories, novellas?
All the other genres together—
mingling on the same palette?
_____________
A kind of whodunit mystery—
a surprise crime thriller flick
No more dithering little ditties—
something worthy of a garrote?
GENTLEMAN’S AGREEMENT
“All the appurtenances
of living… He had to
remember even to breath”
—Patricia Highsmith
RIPLEY’S GAME
_____________
The maddening inner—
apprehension running thru
Guy Haines’ mind as Bruno—
slowly convinced him
____________
To follow thru with their—
gentleman’s agreement
STRANGERS ON A TRAIN—
that day discussing blithely
____________
Murder nonchalantly as if—
it were some parlor game
That Guy hadn’t taken—
seriously enough yet until…
BLACK FOREST
“He was feeling a bit
nervous himself—his
first Mafia hit”
—Patricia Highsmith
RIPLEY’S GAME
______________
The poetics of murder—
how to keep action moving?
Sticking with the same—
exquisite homicidal meme?
___________
Mining it like gold—
diamonds, rubies, emeralds
Surely the unconscious—
possesses this & even more?
_____________
The garroting train scene—
with the dead Italian Mafioso
The film with 3 dead ones—
“First class getting so crowded!”
