No Greater Love Poem by Charles Chaim Wax

On September 8th
Effie Day told everyone at Spinoza HS
to call her Ann Lee
because she’d joined
the United Society of Believers
in Christ’s Second Appearing
commonly known as the Shakers.
I was shocked such a gorgeous woman
had vowed to abstain from sex forever
but another part of me
understood the soul’s necessity
still before she left I asked her
in the Teacher’s Center, “Why? ”
“Bernstein, ” she said calmly,
“there’s too much fucking in the world
no room left for elephants to roam free.”
Henry Duffy said just as calmly,
“I ain’t had none since I was 23,
42 now.”
Henry, a nice enough fellow,
but now I wanted to hear Effie
still he went on, “A birthday present
from my dad, cost him two hundred
which in them days was quite a tidy sum.”
“Well, ” I began.
Henry continued, “Two weeks later
sucked a bullet, half his head
blown away, but always thinking ahead
he done it in the bathtub
so my mother could clean the mess up easy.”
“Why? asked Effie softly.
“Wanted to give me something
before he croaked himself, ” said Henry,
“cause he knew I’d never get a woman
on my own.”
“The other matter.”
“”I’m sure the man
had his reasons, ” I quickly said
still wanting to hear Effie’s confession
but don’t you know
Henry’s tears
put an end to that
as Effie cradled him in her arms
her wet tongue plunged deep in his ear
whispering words of comfort.