Dorian Gray

Dorian Gray

“from some programme
of the Psychical Society”
—Oscar Wilde

Octaves and sestets
Dorian began—to write de siecle
Pretending himself—beyond Wilde

Dorian—Mademoiselle Muse
Dripping and sugary—
Would she ever unripen?

Muse—“lavender on her wrist…”
Eternally adolescent—rather like
Young James Merrill—eye on Tarot

She began consulting—Madame Sosostris
Famed Euro-sophisticate—on darkness
Went for cute—“psychic callboys”

Young clairvoyants—showing a little leg
Second-rate fin blondes—male prostitutes
The Tarot knew all—much too much

Dorian Gray—no romantic moonlit foliage
No masquerades—pet monkeys no mad

drag queens—searing passionate femme fatales

''Jaysus christ—Write about queens”
Said Miss Firbank—“those in the face of
Heartless Indifference—turbulent mockery"

Like James Merrill’s boyfriend—''Heavenly colors
And swell fish!''—Auden’s ladylike gush with
Straight boyfriend’s terseness—symbolist pastiche