Content warning:
for Ruth Gordon (who played Minnie Castevet and Dame Marjorie “Maude” Chardin)
I’m the last one standing
I can’t believe she’s gone
and not still living
on the opposite coast
bohemian twin sister
other side of my coin
does that make me
heads or tails, Minnie
is that you, Maude
did I summon you
from the great beyond
oh, I’m around
it’s time
we had a chat
we both turned eighty
and you decided to die
you left the old country first
which turned out to be smart
leaving this world first
wasn’t smart, Maude
but worshipping the devil
with that man you married
where’s the fun in that
he wanted to avenge his father
there are all kinds
of witch hunts, Maude
you of all people
should know that
but to live in that dusty
old apartment house
crawling with Satanists
it’s not dusty
and anyway, I heard you
posed naked for a painter
at our age, then took up
with a death-obsessed youth
such a lovely young man
I may have saved his life
you survived the camps
but did death’s work
for them
with a handful of pills
on my terms
Maude, are you in heaven or hell
I’m in nature and in music
what pantheistic claptrap
you think you taught
that boy to live
you taught him to weep
there are worse things
than knowing how
to shed tears
did your husband ever cry
for his martyred daddy
do you cry for me, Minnie
what would be the point
anyway, we’ve won
my hubby and me
that young woman you tricked
do you think she never cries
how do you know what we did
like I said, I’m around
I also know her little boy
still cries
like any human child
when he grows up
he’ll be just like his father
poor kid
I think I’ll talk to him
stay out of this
I’ll teach him
to love sunflowers
encourage him to learn
the banjo or piano
Maude, you wouldn’t dare
wanna bet
heads or tails, Minnie
maybe he can’t play the banjo
with those claws of his
but I’ll bet that kid can sing
[Editor's Note: The publication of this poem was made possible by a donation from Nicholas Jay during our annual fundraiser.]