GOING DOWN ON MOSES II

___________________

PERCIVAL’S HOUSE
OF ILL REPUTE
______________________

“the well-to-do
proprietor of a
select New Orleans
brothel”
—William Faulkner,
Go Down, Moses

Ike ended up down—
There in New Orleans in the
Storyville District.

He had a token—
From a bartender for a
A brothel cat-house.

Percival Brownlee—
Was the owner of the joint
There on Gasquet Street.

*

Ike McCaslin said:
“It really blew me away
when I realized it.”

“That my father Buck—
and his twin brother were fags
Y’know, like faggots.”

He closed his eyes tight—
Leaning back in bed with his
Arm behind his neck.

*

Ike took a long toke—
Held it for a long time then
Exhaled it slowly.

Down between his legs—
Percival was tres busy
Sucking bored Ike off.

“I had a hard time—
believing it was true
but then I had to.”

*

“The ledgers don’t lie—
It was pretty much all there:
Buck and Buddy’s thing.”

The New Orleans night—
Sickeningly sweet with the
Honeysuckle stench.

The rotting city—
Blooming magnolia of
Sweet odor of death.

*

The Decadent South—
Decaying nicely that night
Soothing Ike’s sad mood.

“At first it seemed like—
My life had suddenly died
Reading those ledgers.”

“I still don’t know if—
My grandfather was as bad
As the ledgers say.”

*

Percival knew the—
Old incest story about
Thucydus’ young wife.

And then the daughter—
Getting pregnant just for old
Quintus’ new lover-boy.

Siring a Shadow—
Shadow family chicken:
Slavery’s karma.

*

Ike stretched out in bed—
All six feet of his lean taut
McCaslin physique.

Ike closed his eyes tight—
His dick sticking deep down
Percival’s hot throat

He got it all down—
Down that fucking faggot throat
Curling his toenails.

*

Later Ike tells him—
“And I thought my grandfather
was an old pervert.”

Percival stood there—
Dabbing lips by the mirror
His moustache was stained.

“It’s gonna be a—
Long night,” Percival said to
Himself that dark night.

*

When Ike got that way—
All the family dirt came
Oozing out the cracks.

“Do you think I’m queer?”
Ike asked him sipping some gin
Reclined there in bed.

He shrugged like he did—
“What difference does it make now?”
Putting on lipstick.

*

He was really just—
A plain old Big Easy whore
All these years later.

“This old whore’s gotta—
Lotta mileage on it, Ike.
Kinda just like Buck.”

Ike laughed & nodded—
“Yeah it was a real shock.
Daddy being queer.”

*

That’s when Ike gave up—
Trying to bad-mouth old man
L.Q.C. McCaslin.”

“Uncle Buddy played—
The Bottom in their marriage:
The cooking, cleaning.”

“But Buck, my father—
Needed a new lover bad.
That’s why he bought you.”

*

“Tired of just incest—
He wanted mulatto lips
He be desperate.”

“Sometimes it happens”—
Percival said, just shrugging.
Buck had been well-hung.

“Oh Jesus Christ, yes,”
Ike said, closing his sad eyes.
“Hung like a race horse.”

*

“You can imagine”—
Ike said despairingly blue.
“My father was queer.”

“But also much worse”—
He said the next part of the
Long dirge of shame…

“Buck was a dinge queen—
And even worse he was a
Fuckin’ size queen too!!!”

*

That’s when the details—
Always got down & dirty.
The Negritude Noir.

Percival Brownlee’s—
Ten inches of mulatto
Shame & succulence.

Cuddled in his lap—
Like a new born dinge baby
Sucking his nipple.

*

His hard flat stomach—
Bent over slightly in bed
Proud & protective.

“If I had something—
as big & black as that one,
I’d be careful too.”

“Yeah, aint that for sure”—
The lynch mobs would’ve loved to
Get their hands on it.”

*

“Yeah, and half the ladies—
In Yoknapatawpha County…
You had a nice one.”

“That’s why Buck bought me—
Talk about a Black Beauty.
Ace of Spades pure black.”

“Buck spoiled me so bad—
A kept man in dinge bondage
A slave to Buck’s desires.”

*

“All the other slaves—
Freed from their old slavery
And free to depart.”

“Most chose to stay tho—
The only home they had known
Before Dixie fell.”

“The old L.Q.C. mansion—
Right outta Gone With the Wind
Talk about Scarlett...”

*

“Old Roman ruin—
Greek Revival old temple
Pealing white columns.”

“Rotting, dingy wreck—
Antebellum decadent:
Negro loins unbound.”

“How much mulatto—
Sperm & mandingo spluge
Did Buck get outta you?”

“Your father Buck was—
Simply insatiable back
Then, my dearest Ike.”