Thursday, February 14, 2013

Vitriolic Valentine


image borrowed from bing


Vitriolic Valentine

“We are each of us angels with only one wing,
and we can only fly by embracing one another.”
--Lucretius

I rose up rambunctious this morning,
raging & ranting against the machine,
cranky as a bruin with boils, wanting,
demanding answers, closure, results,
pernicious pounds of flesh,
positive pieces of mind, succor
or at least some modicum of
verisimilitude.

Tell me why
does the wind whine like a whimsical
weather-bitch in Wimbledon while
professionals are attempting
to tend to serious tennis?

Will we as a species ever
experience global peace?
Because nobody negates
the numbing notion that all nations
need a nicer way to wage war;
for human nature is just too
naturally bellicose to embrace it.

Let me tell you, as a member
of the morbidly obese, if
one weighs two tons, and just
cannot surmount or control hunger,
it’s like riding a Brahma bull hand’s free--
so damn it, what dip-shit doesn’t dent decorum
while fasting off the fat?

My neighbor’s garage rafters are riddled
with rabid rats, while only slim yards away,
as our Keezie cat stands vigil, we do hope
our gentle garage will never become
a similar rodent sanctuary. 

My silver Suzuki SUV doesn’t like
living outside in the in-climate weather
while my wife’s cute hybrid Camry
rests snug & warm within
our one-car garage, but my
vehicular pal patiently puts up
with the designated disrespect.

Our tomcat complains loudly
if I am too slow to feed him,
and the tawdry tale he tells
me wife is niggard nonsense.

By mid-morning I had to accept
the fatuous fact that I could never
pick out all the bucolic burrs
under my shepherd’s saddle,

so I soon found myself clicked into Facebook
searching out serious romantic images
to share with my spouse, who
would most certainly just delete them,
dismissing my gesture as silly
& sentimental tokens of distaff devotion,
but I do know she will probably
enjoy the garrulous gesture.

Glenn Buttkus

February 14, 2013


Posted over on dVerse Poets FFA

Would you like to listen to the author read this poem to you?


17 comments:

Laurie Kolp said...

Wonderful poetics throughout... especially:

Tell me why does the wind whine like a whimsical weather-bitch in Wimbleton while professionals are attempting to tend to serious tennis?

... and I'm sure your wife appreciates it. Have a great V-day!

Claudia said...

hehe...same fav line as laurie...i also like the bits about the car and smiling on the serious romantic images and she deleting them...hubs always says i'm the least romantic person he knows...smiles..

Brian Miller said...

ha...i had copied and was ready to paste the same line...but your allit does not stop there...the rabid rabbits was fun as well....and nice use of garrulous...ha....i am sure she will appreciate them...smiles.

brudberg said...

Well have to say I love the title, very appropriate. ;-) great alliterations.

Anonymous said...

Thoroughly enjoyed reading--and then listening to the dramatic rendition of--this piece with its audacious aliteration.

Janine Bollée said...

Good rant for the day in question.
BTW I reckon that the Wimbledon players are more disturbed by the fiendish fly-overs of the low-flying international jets than by a bit of a breeze.

Susan Daniels said...

This just rolls along, Glenn. Love it.

Lane Savant said...

Wimmen are like that!

Anonymous said...

Lots of sound and fun. K.

Susie Clevenger said...

Love it! I think I have raged a time or two in somewhat similar manner...I know what you mean about your car..we got a new one and mine was put outside like a stray cat. Happy late Valentine's Day!!

Anonymous said...

i like the rabid rabbits.

i guess everyone has experienced something like this.

kooky kinesthetics

ninotaziz said...


Will we as a species ever
experience global peace?

I have been questioning this too, Glenn.

But the poem -

oh what fun
it is to ride
upon your words...

Anonymous said...

Seeing and hearing lots of fabulous wordplay - but I get rabid rats, not rabbits. Have I missed something?

lucychili said...

happy cranky day =)

Unknown said...

Your use of alliteration pumps up this poem, naturally accelerating the cadence, as you give us a glimpse into the gives and takes, ups and downs in a relationship.

Glenn Buttkus said...

No, Tony, it is "rabid rats"; don't know how in hell Brian got the rabbits in there. Thanks for stopping by.

George Polley said...


Thanks for this. I like what I've read in a quick read-through, & will give it more attention later.
Have you ever considered putting your work into collections and submitting them to a publisher?
They're certainly worth that, in my book.

Blessings to you bro,

George