Wednesday, August 3, 2022

Mary Jo Bang

 


Mary Jo Bang


C Is for Cher

Culture miniature and clad as Cleopatra, she descends
A set of semicircular steps
Tiled in a geometric mosaic pattern

And there she finds the answer: everything
Changes depending on whether 
You're up or down. Behind her,

A high-relief rectangle proscenium,
Beside her, whatever intrigued her last.
An unofficial fan leaps feverishly into action, At that,

She seems to multiply. History will be filled 
With the shower of dots that will become her. 
At that, she becomes. It's complex.

Through the glass she sees a pair of dazzling slippers,
At dinner, her drink was called a Vladimir,
Hers was the plate that contained Washington oysters.

There she held a fork. There she was on a stage 
Of discourse. Of course. Mickey Mouse comes over 
And stops to stare. Cher is dressed a long gold dress.

The sequins form stripes. »If I could turn back time.« 
She’s singing. And Mickey in his red pants is acting
Like the good will minister to an enraptured world. 

Mickey thinks. He turns the corner. 
To the gift shop: ever open. 
He buys retractable mother-of-pearl opera glasses 

As a present. Yes, it’s over. The present. 
In which you discovered forward-thinking thought.


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