Her Qualms Poem by RIC BASTASA

she had dinner with me
and she talked about some priests and sinners
i think she is refined in some ways
the way she handles her fork and her forte
the rumors of the town
and the rest of those who profess innocence
pretended to pay attention

there were names and places and secret events
and trysts of some characters like they are in the play
of Tennessee Williams
and she carefully assesses the merits of their wounds
their tragedies surely are not hers

she does not eat much but her face swells
her stomach bloating and she burps like she is one kind
of a healthy baby

after the dinner
despite her expensive earrings
we in the house are unanimous in saying
she is the kind of character who must not have
another dinner with us

perhaps she must have breakfast
and we think she deserves to be
with Sophocles