Modern life makes you hysterical
if you are prone to hysteria that is …
I pealed after being sunburned, despite best SF50 attempt
and the internet proclaimed;
“you’re likely to develop melanoma, from repeat burns”
just like Jimmy Carter
except he’s got money to solve life’s woes and you
have only an inflatable canoe
which was bitten through by an angry boyfriend, with pierced ears and buck teeth
not easy to argue, in the middle of the sea
just off a Greek island, one impoverished Summer
he couldn’t stop googling the topless babes
and I
stung by every bee, insect and mosquito
resembled something of a Kraken
can’t blame the poor man really
but did he have to bite my canoe?
especially so far off shore, we had to
make-up pretty quick and swim for nearest rock
he made it and I did not
I burned some more and took longer swimming the circumfrance of the shore
where islands and caves, dotted in jeweled wonder
an epiphany stirred … I no longer needed a boyfriend who
encouraged me to drink too much Metaxa
watching him, watching the girls go by
why don’t I give it a try?
so looking rather dashing
with my red nose and salt bleached hair
I stole a mermaid from her cave and paddled
with a deflated canoe
to a island they call lesbos
where
we both pealed together
demurely sipping Ouzo