Jilted
a poem by Cliff Walker
June 6, 1997

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• See also: Carry a Key verse by Cliff Walker

Julie writes:

jilted in what manner??
pray tell, oh my brother atheist.
power to the atheists!!
luv lotz to my companions,
 :-) julie

Cliff responds:

She was the very best of friends
     (Exquisite taste in minds and mens!)
Sad brown eyes and pouting lips
     A tasty fullness 'round her hips

The gifts she gave to me each day
     The sweet sound of her voice so gay
Her secret hope to me she told
     That we, together, might grow old

Old Mexico where we did meet
     When we were seventeen, so sweet
We grew up and our ways did part
     This left a gash upon my heart

Tough times had we, and wou'nt you know?
     Down sim'lar roads we each did go
And had hard luck, then moved away
     To get a grip and seize the day

In one score years I got a call
     From her, and in love we did fall
When I confessed to her my doubt
     Assured me, she, we'd work it out

But from her mouth came strange, dark tales
     Of Noah's ark and Jonah's whales
And Jesus walking on the drink
     Such chatter oft' made me turn pink

The talk of angels seem'd so odd
     And Yahweh, the volcano god
Embarrassed? Me? To say the least!
     But still that did not spoil the feast

I've never been a bigot, once
     And never called someone a dunce
For what you think means naught to me
     'Tis what you do -- that's all I see

And for her talk I cut much slack
     Like water off a duckling's back
Instead, I strove to be her friend
     And chose to be there 'til the end

I set my plans and told to all
     That I would answer to her call
And move away to be her man
     And be the best one that I can

But suddenly, she said goodbye
     Lacking candor as to why
'T seems she leads the men astray
     And them she'll later toss away

"Available soon!" -- her mating call
     And other men for her shall fall
I still don't see how someone can
     Do evil to their fellow-man

I should have seen it on the wall
     But I, you see, can't know it all
My mind is all I have to tell
     What's clean and true or what doth smell

So now, I'll let the healing work
     And spend time watching Captain Kirk
And at the Karaoke bar
     The lyrics to the songs I'll mar

And one day soon "that look" I'll see
     And feel "that feeling" inside me
And trust once more -- not that I'll know --
     'Cause actions, nothing more, doth show