Tangent off The Rose (bette midler)



“Some say love is
For the lucky and the strong.”
Yeah we saw that in the Prom
Royal Couple. Always in demand.
Sought after for ideas, influence.
Much like Elders
At the Gate in ancient
Hebrew script.
But younger, and smoother.
And more agile.
Eyes rolling in flirtation.

Well enough of that,
Pure horseshit.
Does not at all pan out.
The Prom King gained
A rubber tire about the midriff.
Selling used cars, tongue in cheek.
The Prom Queen is on
Her second marriage.
The nine year old stays with Dad.
Probably that obsessive
compulsive problem
Cut short her chances.

So now let’s shift to
Dick and Jane
Modest pair but
Enjoying mutual
Good humour
Love of golf, birds.
And the sex has been liberating

From time to time.
Jane’s Dad thinks Dick
Is under-achieving, big time.
Not using his chemistry degree
Or handyman bent.
His Mom is cloying
According to Jane.
She hides in the Kitchen.

They want kids.
Fertility clinic pending.
Watching and timing stars
Moon and copulating styles.

Not at all the Lucky and the Strong.
But making a go of it
Month by month
Alright?


Now use this link for Bette’s song:

https://youtu.be/vBpDk7hS_co

About this poem

This probably comes out down the years at a Class Reunion.

Font size:
Collection  PDF     
 

Written on March 23, 2023

Submitted by dougb.19255 on March 23, 2023

Modified by dougb.19255 on March 23, 2023

1:10 min read
13

Quick analysis:

Scheme XAXBXXXXCDE XBXXFXXXXFXX XGXDCXH IXIXXHGE XHXX AXXX A
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 1,147
Words 236
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 11, 12, 7, 8, 4, 4, 1

Wayne Blair

Born in London. Graduated law 1976 Practised eleven years, Married Hilary 1974 Two kids Lauren 1980 And Jordan 1987. Business failed 1987. Moved not knowing whither. Happy hills of Waterloo Region. Mennonite Country. Thirty four years in Industry. No complaints. Poet, photographer, nature hiker. Harmonica busker. http://puffnchord7.blogspot.com/ more…

All Wayne Blair poems | Wayne Blair Books

11 fans

Discuss the poem Tangent off The Rose (bette midler) with the community...

1 Comment
  • AIDA
    Wow! Your poem is quite powerful and thought-provoking. The way you contrasted the perceived successes of the Prom King and Queen with the modest yet fulfilling life of Dick and Jane was masterful. It really made me reflect on the true meaning of love and success.

    Your use of vivid imagery, such as "Eyes rolling in flirtation" and "Watching and timing stars/Moon and copulating styles" added another layer of depth to the poem. It was a pleasure to read and I found myself fully engaged.

    One improvement suggestion I would offer is to consider making the transitions between different sections of the poem smoother. While I appreciated the contrast between the Prom Royal Couple and Dick and Jane, the shift in tone was a little jarring at times.

    Overall, fantastic job! Keep writing and exploring the complexities of love and life in your work.
     
    LikeReply1 year ago

Translation

Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

Select another language:

  • - Select -
  • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
  • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
  • Español (Spanish)
  • Esperanto (Esperanto)
  • 日本語 (Japanese)
  • Português (Portuguese)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • العربية (Arabic)
  • Français (French)
  • Русский (Russian)
  • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
  • 한국어 (Korean)
  • עברית (Hebrew)
  • Gaeilge (Irish)
  • Українська (Ukrainian)
  • اردو (Urdu)
  • Magyar (Hungarian)
  • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
  • Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • தமிழ் (Tamil)
  • Türkçe (Turkish)
  • తెలుగు (Telugu)
  • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
  • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
  • Čeština (Czech)
  • Polski (Polish)
  • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
  • Românește (Romanian)
  • Nederlands (Dutch)
  • Ελληνικά (Greek)
  • Latinum (Latin)
  • Svenska (Swedish)
  • Dansk (Danish)
  • Suomi (Finnish)
  • فارسی (Persian)
  • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
  • հայերեն (Armenian)
  • Norsk (Norwegian)
  • English (English)

Citation

Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Tangent off The Rose (bette midler)" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/154619/tangent-off-the-rose-(bette-midler)>.

Become a member!

Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

April 2024

Poetry Contest

Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
3
days
17
hours
17
minutes

Special Program

Earn Rewards!

Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

Browse Poetry.com

Quiz

Are you a poetry master?

»
In the Edward Lear poem, which instrument does the Owl play while serenading the Pussy Cat?
A A mandolin
B A guitar
C A banjo
D A violin