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
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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 
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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
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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?
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Mining it like gold—
diamonds, rubies, emeralds

Surely the unconscious—
possesses this & even more?
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The garroting train scene—
with the dead Italian Mafioso 

The film with 3 dead ones—
“First class getting so crowded!”