RC deWinter
we had company for lunch today
two women
one i know
and have always thought a bitch
another i had met only once before
these were not guests of my choosing
but being a guest myself
in the house where i am staying
was perforce obliged to be civil
we sat at a dining table
set with all the best
they chattered
these two and the hostess
all through the meal
trivialities
of the lowest common denominator
i was mostly silent
having no interest in any of it
nor able to add anything polite
to the conversation
over coffee
the woman
whom i had met only once before
stared at me intently
i stared back
finally she spoke
i remember you
you’re the artist
the poet
the singer
the witch
i nodded silently as she continued
you’re a bit odd
she said
you spent an age
warning me of the dangers of BPA
and global warming
the hypocrisy of religion
the dangers of creeping corporatism
not very artistic of you
no poetry in that conversation
you were rather a johnny-one-note
all doom and gloom
she waved an overly-jewelled hand
and laughed dismissively
ah well
she concluded
it takes all kinds doesn’t it
her companion
the bitch
laughed with her
both of them smug in their normality
i smiled
all was civilized politesse
until they saw my fangs
we had company for lunch today
they were delicious
***
RC deWinter’s poetry is anthologized in New York City Haiku (NY Times, 2017), Uno: A Poetry Anthology (Verian Thomas, 2002), Cowboys & Cocktails: Poetry from the True Grit Saloon (Brick Street Poetry, April 2019) in print in 2River View, Down in the Dirt, Genre Urban Arts, Meat For Tea: The Valley Review, Pink Panther Magazine, The New York Times and in numerous online literary journals.