Boil Fish Head
for D.B.A.

you are not going to sit upon his lap
innocent or otherwise, while I live,

while I sit in the back seat
of this vehicle

for such a move, move he made
were I king, were these only
very slightly altered times, other times

he'd have, were we French,
gone to the guillotine

were we Spanish
gone before the firing squad

German he'd have been sent
to concentration camp
then to be gassed
then incinerated

were we English
he'd have been beheaded
for such a gesture

against the queen of my kingdom
against the queen of all my days
of all my nights

he'd have had to pay with his life
he'd have had to pray for mercy

God only knows if I'd have had any
if he'd have gotten any

no leniency because his father
is as fine as fine can be

not because his father is X-priest,
best friend

son is no friend of mine, no friend to me

what Jazz music, I wonder,
would he set this sentence to

when it is a sentence
requiring his own head

crime committed
against the crown,
against the king,
against the queen


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2010
7:33 p.m. 07.05.10