Frank Prem

Franks Psychiatry 5 #66: the tweedle man

they dress him in braces
that hold up his jeans
to just under his chest

 

with a red cap on top
he is baby brother
to the tweedles
both dum and dee

 

special built boots for club feet
adjust a walking slant
that can’t make up its mind
to be either a jaunt
or a topple-in-progress

 

under the cap is the devil of a grin
and the gleam from his eyes
could be a boy’s glass marbles
peeping out from a close-held bag

 

but

 

ohhhh
look at my pants nurse

 

it’s an outrage
to be wet again

 

ohhhh
look nursey
look at my pants

 

who’s going to change him

 

ohhhh

 

and after that
it’s unspoken but shared
that it’s ever so much better
dear nursey
sweet nurse
much much better
to be dry

 

he slant-saunters away
hidden somewhere under the brim
of his hat

 

tweedle-ee tweedle-ay
tweedle-um

 

~