The Literary Review
Benighted Aftermath
It’s strange that after vanquishing a girl
who flaunted charm, and riding his high horse
to boast about his conquest – head awhirl –
he yielded to a lass who lacked recourse
to fancy trappings that appeal to men.
She didn’t hesitate to cough or yawn,
but shrewdly pandered to the passive yen
guys have to bank upon cerebral brawn
that complements their more compliant bent.
Indeed, she might as well have had a sword
inside the sheath he fain would circumvent
had she not coveted his own prized hoard
with more commanding notice of intent.
As such, astride the high horse that she rode
with cockiness, he’d tacitly present
himself as abject spoils of war, bestowed
upon this captivating cavalier,
while murmuring sweet nothings in her ear.
- Frank De Canio
Reversing Course
It seems I got the short end of the stick
when toying with this girl. I start to sing
an ardent song, presuming it would click
with her who’d cater to my worshipping
advance. But she commences making eyes
at me. She might as well play cavalier,
prepared to clutch an amatory prize.
I felt my dormant passion start to rear.
Forget my former quest of keeping her
enraptured by my captivating tune.
Her piercingly arresting eyes would stir
my fancy to an amatory swoon.
And rather than supposing she’d draw near
to me, I felt resigned to nibble on her ear.
- Frank De Canio
Old Age Blues
Young men must feel just like they’re millionaires,
in terms of attitude. For they have cash
of spendthrift years to buy into the shares
of love that women hold. It’s not just stash
alone of course. For if the stock is not
available, they might as well be poor
for all it matters. Still they have a shot
at being just a moneyed raconteur.
which older guys are hard put to pretend.
For poverty of means is etched upon
their psyche, though they have the will to spend.
And feigning wealth is not enough to carry on
for long when they’re financially in jail
with scarcely funds enough to put up bail.
- Frank De Canio
Arresting Airs
He dreaded bounty huntresses in pairs,
so was a little bit concerned to see
2 chicks beside him stealing furtive stares
inside the city’s public library
whose reading room was his local hideout.
Therein, thoughts of incriminating sex
were limited to wards intent to flout
his sensibilities by keeping checks
on him. Indeed, seduced by one dame’s yawn
he was finagled like a fish to bite
her bit, whereon he later on was drawn
to her who quickly rushed him out of sight.
Conveyed to her interrogation room,
he first would not confess to her, then spilled
the beans she kindled with her strong perfume.
As consequence for having been thus grilled,
his courtship sentenced him to live his life
till death beside this captivating wife.
- Frank De Canio
Just in Time
I fancied myself riding waves
of surging hospitality
to my sister’s house for raves.
I’m percolating with esprit
into a Mother’s Day repast
at a restaurant in N J state,
where we usually amassed
for a seasonal tete a tete.
Three minutes late for the Dover
bus, I’d opt instead for the train
due to arrive minutes over
the food being served. “Fate’s disdain
for me,” I thought, admonishing
myself for not acknowledging
constraints of time. Just then I called
my sis, still harnessed by my plight.
My future prospects all but palled
by transportation’s plebiscite,
till, reeling from the pending loss
of an exculpatory lunch
my host put an ironic gloss
on it that hit me like a punch.
For with an air, demonstrative
as death, she said the Covid test
she’d taken came back positive.
Our luncheon date was put to rest.
For all the effort that I made
at salvaging a victory
from evident defeat, I strayed
into a valedictory.
Though notwithstanding being pissed,
the gods just winked at what I missed.
- Frank De Canio