French Cuisine

               French Cuisine

There’s nowt like sour grapes to put men’s teeth
On bitchy edge and that would do a lot
To clear up why Talleyrand was beneath
The others in the heap.  He was warm snot–
Or worse—to those he bested, if it’s right
To use a word closely related to
“Best” in reference to that high-stench piece of shite.
Still, it couldn’t all be down to a crew
Of malcontents.  Even his parents thought
The cripple wasn’t up to very much.
The ladies liked him, gave him what he sought;
They wilted to his sweet-wine words and touch.
“He would exchange his soul,” said Mirabeau,
“For piled up dung—and be right to do so.”

This poem is part of a shorter sonnet sequence within this large sonnet sequence called The Encyclopedia Sonnetica.  The shorter sonnet sequence is called “Encased in Silk.”  I recommend you read this poem where it is set in its sonnet sequence.  To do that, search for “Encased in Silk” here in The Encyclopedia Sonnetica.

by phillipw | May 28, 2020 | CH, FR, MA, MI, Ta | 0 comments