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poem
November 2009 
Salome- A poem by Carol Anne Duffy-1st woman poet Lauriate
Mikey_Dee
by Carol Anne Duffy :
Salome
I'd done it before
(and doubtless I'll do it again,
sooner or later)
woke up with a head on the pillow beside me -whose? -
what did it matter?
Good- looking, of course, dark hair, rather matted;
the reddish beard several shades lighter;
with very deep lines around the eyes,
from pain, I'd guess, maybe laughter;
and a beautiful crimson mouth that obviously knew
how to flatter...
which I kissed...
Colder than pewter.
Strange. What was his name? Peter?
Simon? Andrew? John? J knew I'd feel better
for tea, dry toast, no butter,
so rang for the maid.
And, indeed, her innocent clatter
of cups and plates,
her clearing of clutter,
her regional patter,
were just what needed -
hungover and wrecked as J was from a night on the batter.
Never again!
I needed to clean up my act,
get fitter,
cut out the booze and the fags and the sex.
Yes. And as for the latter,
it was time to turf out the blighter,
the beater or biter,
who'd come like a lamb to the slaughter
to Salome's bed.
In tile mirror, I saw my eyes glitter.
I flung back the sticky red sheets,
and there, like I said -and ain't life a bitch -
was his head on a platter.
Access: Public
Thanks for the pointer Mikey. Raw, great sense of humour, great rhyme and alliteration, spot on line breaks, strong end line, love it. Just the right title, modern poem - but old story. I'm glad she took the post, she had her doubts apparently, then went for it to break the mold for other women
Shock ending! And here I was thinking that Salome would start dancing with the veils!
My dear Meenakshi, I'm no expert, but my understanding of the story/myth/event is that Salomé has already danced & was rewarded with John's head on a platter ( at her mother's request)! To be verified!
Such scandal!
“was his head on a platter.” It was the only way she'd ever have him.
I must think about Walter Raleigh. He was beheaded and his last words were:
“So the heart be right, it is no matter which way the head lieth.”
Thats grandezza.
This was the situation Sir Walter Raleigh had to face in his last moments:
“Raleigh was beheaded at Whitehall on 29 October 1618. “Let us dispatch”, he asked his executioner. “At this hour my ague comes upon me. I would not have my enemies think I quaked from fear.” After he was allowed to see the axe that would behead him, he mused: “This is a sharp Medicine, but it is a Physician for all diseases and miseries”. According to many biographers — Raleigh Trevelyan in his book Sir Walter Raleigh (2003) for instance — Sir Walter's final words (as he lay ready for the axe to fall) were: “Strike, man, strike!”
Guess, Salome would have liked to see this style.
Mike, thanks for pointing to the work of Carol Anne Duffy.
The Guardian was right, in praising her poetry:
The Gospel Truth
Thanks All, & specially Albert for your valuable insights & links!