How They All Fall Poem by Terry Collett

O men
says Ariadne
who gives
a flower bud
about them

and she tells me
how she managed
to plant a kiss
on any naked part
of Bernice
that was visible

(why she was telling me
I don't know
unless she was trying
to embarrass me)

O how I like
to hold her
and place my tongue
on her tongue

and when her father
knew about me
he was quite off
with me

(I study her red hair
cropped short
her pale complexion
those thin lips
now opening
and closing
as she speaks)

but as I said to Bernice
it's how we are
it's how we are to be

(and I heard tell
she kneed some
young guy
who got on
the wrong side of her
and where she kneed him
brought tears to his eyes)

and if he doesn't like it
he can go
where all narrow minded
people go
and rot there
as if I care

(I see how
her slim fingers
touch each other
as she brings
her hands together)

and Bernice being
the soft hearted sop she is
became all sentimental
and said
he my father
after all
but I just smiled
and said
that's how
they all fall.