The Montez

“I feel like Gale Sondergaard

in “Return of the Spider Woman.”

—Manuel Puig

What’s really worth mentioning—

Is that Maria Montez’s fervent

Admirers rioted in the theaters

Adoring being up-close to her

Like her Hoochie-Koochie Dance—

On Cobra Island they wanted to

Worship Montez a few moments 

And then jump into the Volcano!!!

The Serpentine rhythms of—

Dancing slinky Hollywood snakes,

Cymbals, tambourines, torches,

Drums so tres hypnotizing

Maria Montez the Go-Between—

The erotic pulsing mise-en-scene

With all the trappings of Fertility

Worship, Theater of camp & kitsch

The Turbaned One would say—

In stumbling basic English things

Like “Giv me ze cobra jool” and

Fans like Jack Smith would swoon