Saving the Day

Saving the Day
—for Tennessee Williams

The ‘60s back then—
Were rather difficult,
My dear, what would I
Have done without you?

I was an oozing pillar—
Salty cum, runny jizz
I had Miss Sodom & Miss
Gomorrah in my blood.

My big mistake was—
Always looking back at
The ruins of the city
The city of fallen angels.
___________________

I tried walking upright—
In between classes around
Campus, but I kept oozing
Flowing downhill instead.

The sidewalks tilted—
Everything seemed steep
How reckless of me to try
Gushing queerly about it.

It was like a nightmare—
My feet stuck in quicksand
All the frantic silver mirrors
Tricky as slippery mercury.
______________________

Searching for Blanche—
Who nobody talked about
Knowing what Brick knew
But only you wrote about.

It takes one to know one—
You were my gay playwright
Sweet Bird of Youth yours
Miss Summer & Smoke.

Maggie ends up as—
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Pregnant with Skipper’s kid
Big Daddy knows knowingly.
________________________

Alma the closet-case—
There in the town park
With a Summer & Smoke
Cute traveling salesman.

Alexandra Del Lago—
Another faded movie star
Only Tennessee Williams
Seems interested in her.

So that all is not lost—
Thanks to Hollywood and
Your magic touch of words
Arresting my downward fall.