American Gentleman

American Gentleman He’s obsessed with Industry and Commerce: He commemorates it by sniffing iron fillings, Masticating rusty nuts and bolts and hooks Which he then washes down With a pint of crude oil! Gas stirs Life in his impious Heart and Spirit: He roast a steak of beef with a Cutting Torch Slice bread and buns with a jagged Hacksaw Then brushes russet dentures With brass Wire Brush! He’s a Lover of Ammunition and fast Guns Smoking Pipe is a butt of an up-turned Pistol Virginia Tobacco is laced with gun powder That is force-filled in the void butt chamber... He enjoys jerking by the recoil Of exploding smoke! He’s infatuated quite easily and quite deeply; He then endeavours to arrest the lewdness Donning rusty zinc or aluminium underwear Yet, the vicinity has children Who look like him! He’s a Lover of Horses, bruited near and abroad With which he employs strange experiments To bestow him overzealous human children Without “complaining” mothers For endless war abroad! Brave Conqueror, Vanquisher of fast renown Who lives more in the wild abroad than Home Rattling famished sabres and hungry swords Carrying him round the World; Ship, Plane and All! Arriving at the Port from his interminable wars Vaunted “Peacemaker” boots dripping gore One of the ardent coteries whispers in his ear: “Hearken to the lily-white Statue of Liberty!” “I’m an American Gentleman, “The French donated it!” JM 21st Oct’ 2013