Plebiscite

(The devious job of currying favour).

These are clever, clever men

and we must choose, between

those who pour a cat’s saucer

of coddled threats

dressed up as promises

that we might naively lap

or others, who

offer fellatio with a shark,

slithering between our lips

leprous barbed poison

to sting our lips,

harpoons that reel us in,

to riddle our guts

through a colander of lies.

© Graham Sherwood 06/2016

Curtain Call

Once delivered
like unexpected gifts
it's easy to read your lies, they,
transparent as your vanity
ripple like shallow puddles,
a cynical fathomless mirage
as you cry profusely.

So I melt, alarmingly
butter not ice,
ready and too willing to mop tears,
massage your fragile ego
with searching finger-sized platitudes
and pledge allegiance
for just one more day.

© Graham Sherwood 06/2016