I usta could fall in love, took the tumble
many times, saw so many dreams crumble
that I get nervous going up where I might slip.
Who am I to say? Some body wants to skinny-dip
with alligators, that’s their personal choice,
jess them listening to their inner voice.
Like Virg did, Virg who was my bro.
Bea’s put on put on quite a show
that night, took him on a ride, using all her charms.
They passed out in a tangle of legs and arms.
Virg’d held her close, her body, not her soul,
most of the night long, but not the whole.
Soon as he pried his eyes open, groping
for her missing warmth—maybe hoping
to do it again— all he got, a handful of sweet
nothin’, jess a cool rumpled sheet
Crippled sick with grief and sorrow,
he sang made-up words for tunes he’d borrow
from HubCap, repeating like a broke record—
Hell, A whole broke jukebox!—Lord
knows how many errant versions of
of HubCap’s best hits: Just Testing My Love,
Wherever I Look All I See Is You, plus
another fav, Why You Makin’ All This Fuss.
Born into heartbreak, heartbreak brings us song.
Those who can’t sing for shit can mumble along,
bunglin’ the words, like Virg does. Don’t matter.
Lyrics of love lost are pitter-patter
we know by heart, who’ve all been compelled
to lose what we want and, too briefly, held.
The rest is jess so much yakety-yak.
Virg knew, we know, they never come back.
***
As submitted July 2026. Full text alteritas.net/entwistedtongues/. Adaptasyion Kouri-Vini isit.