Sacerdotal Insects
Young Rimbaud kept live lice in special seats
Up on his head for one specific need.
He didn’t leave’em in his guestroom sheets
To cause insult. He needed them to breed
There so that, when in passing through the rues
De Paris he encountered any priest,
Young Arthur had a source of little chews
To pick from scalp and fling at priests to feast
Upon instead of getting drunk on wine
Tricked out as Jesus’ blood; also, instead,
The blackly holy men could cheaply dine
On them and not on sacramental bread.
..At least that’s how Verlaine explained the nits.
….Yep. That got on his mother-in-law’s tits.