Friday, February 28, 2014

Unreal/Poemeleon


"Holy wow, Batman! That's unreal!"

"No, Robin, that's quite real. It's Psychotria elata, also known as Hooker's Lips, or Hot Lips."

"I wonder if Poison Ivy would look good in that shade? Is it toxic, like her kiss?"

"No, Robin, but it doesn't look that luscious for long. Soon those lips will fill with what looks like already-been-chewed food--"

"Like when I burp, and I vomit a little in my mouth?"

"Thank you for that visceral image, Robin.  ...That turns out to be a further blossoming, of new leaves."

"Holy Hot Lips, Batman. I just Googled it and found more photos on Amusing Planet."

"And I just Googled images of Poison Ivy, but 1) they are copyrighted and 2) she's way too sexy for you, Robin."

"Wait!? Doesn't the woman who writes this blog sometimes use Psychotria elata as her profile picture at Facebook?

"Yes, Robin, but that doesn't make her psycho."

"Holy Cannoli, Batman! She's written a poem with you and the Scarecrow in it, from when you were in Batman: The Animated Series."

"Ah, yes, Robin. Those were the years when her son's constant attire was his Batman jammies, which came with a little cape, Velcroed on at the shoulders. And cowboy boots, finally procured at Sears. The closest thing she could find to Batman boots. Where exactly is this poem?"

"In the Unreal issue of Poemeleon. It's called 'Real Life (in Nervous Font).' There are dirigibles in it, Batman, and a numerical code."

"Hmm, maybe she is psycho."

"And somebody named Samarra Samarra."

"As in 'An Appointment in Samarra'?"

"I don't know, Batman. I'll Google it."

"Just a minute, Robin. Is that a Sicilian cannolo lightly sprinkled with confectioner's sugar, with ricotta filling and dark chocolate squares, generously provided by Paolo Piscolla?"

"Holy bat*&^%, Batman! An appointment in Samarra is an appointment with death, and/or cosmic irony. Or  it might be a date with a dog in central Illinois."

"Good to know, Robin, good to know."




8 comments:

Maureen said...

Hot lips indeed! What a plant!

seana graham said...

Terrific poem, Hotlips Houlihan!

Kathleen said...

Ha ha, you two!

Ach, you remind me of my father's nickname for me as a child: Cathleen ni Houlihan. I'm glad I didn't know who she was then.

Kathleen said...

Thanks, Ted. Glad to hear it. I doubt I have a career in writing Batman scripts, however.

Kim said...

Samarra, in addition to being the name of my poochie, is a town in Iraq. That might be the location of said appointment.

Kathleen said...

Yep. I believe that town is indeed the setting of that old story. Took on a sad, ironic, new resonance in my lit classrooms in the current day, especially with some veterans and soon-to-be soldier students present.

SarahJane said...

Very fun poem! "In Nervous Font" i hilarious.

(and those lips are crazy)

Kathleen said...

Thank you!