The Fine Girl Responds

by Greg Beatty

Oh, be a fine girl
 kiss me, you say.
  And I do, shining
   G rated kisses
    upon your rosy cheek.
     Year after year,
      kiss after kiss,
       I stayed married to you.
        Until your eye wandered.
         No longer fixed on your fine
          girl, it seeks out the Oh stars
           and stranger stellar types,
            lingering on white dwarves,
             watching binary couplings
              for their star on star action:
               Talk about perverse desires;
                whose spectral lines are these
                 burned onto your collar?
                  So now your fine girl is mad.
                   And is a gee! girl no more.
                    You think I’m cranky now?
                     So my complaints draw attention?
                      G’head. Keep roving the spectrum
                       I dare you. ‘Cause you know what?
                        If you make me mad,
                         really blow my crust mad,
                          you won’t need a rhyme to remember me.
                           Sure ‘nuff, it’s sad but true.
                            No one remembers a fine girl by name
                             But everyone remembers the supernovae ex.

                                                                                             Copyright © 2005, Greg Beatty

Greg Beatty attended Clarion West in the summer of 2000. He's had a number of short stories accepted since then. (For more information on his writing, visit his web site.) When he's not at his computer, he enjoys cooking, practicing martial arts, and having complex interpersonal relationships. Since he thinks of himself more as a fiction writer than a poet, Greg was surprised that two of his poems were nominated for this year's Rhysling award. Pleased, but surprised.