House of Tolerance
She’ll cry viscid white tears
after each lover departs – In
a rusty bath she bathes as a
curl of feculent froth clouds
to near-red foams [blood is
confused by oxidisation] – A
trip to her irregular clinic is
floating on her list – In Paris
finer courtesans can charge
more – There is a girl with a
cut-glass grin [from kissing
a stone-honed blade sliced
hard by a man] – she’ll seek
other labour now her looks
are worth less – Age’ll steal
all earning potentials from
those that charge a rate – a
hotel suite’ll witness it all –
her fall into a circle of cash
& need for that kind of love
is auldest of auld disorders
[of all known by auld fools]