No. 7

Fall 2004

The Marquis de X enjoys many things.
He flings giraffes and Bishops
out the window, to the deep
blue sea. He delights
in manhandling pillows
and slow dancing with plows.
His hobbies include needlepoint
and the occasional rape.
He sleeps only in daylight
under his couch.

The Marquis de X has been seen walking
down streets dribbling violins. He sports
three dollar fifty cent vampire
teeth and imitation Ray-Ban sunglasses.
He is a literary type,
a Wordsworth aficionado.
He revels in licking dogs
and punting blind men.
He finds the toes of statues erotic.
He prefers making love on gravel
or wicker, and always
leaves his socks on.

The Marquis de X has been known
to go clubbing with Jennifer Beals.
He was seduced by her giant hoop
earrings and now
he can't
get her out
of his mind.
He considers cockroaches and pigeons
delectable and the sexual harassment
of old ladies acceptable. He once wrote
on a bathroom wall: Where there are nuns,
expect the worst.

Copyright 2004, Elizabeth Volpe

nidus is an online publication supported by the Writing Program at the University of Pittsburgh's English Department.