What We Do

For Paul

  

Writers write and painters paint but artists don’t art

and musicians don’t mu. 

Bikers bike and drivers drive, blimps go limp

but coupes don’t coup.

Coiffeurs coif, hairdressers dress hair,

but nail techs don’t nail techs (or perhaps they do).

Fighters fight, professors at times profess

but hatters don’t hat and surgeons don’t surge.

If you want a rest be a restaurateur.

Deference now will be deferred.

Dukes might du and earls might er

but kisses and caresses will never care

and lords don’t lord over anyone

the way I lord it over you.

Poets don’t po but they sometimes pout;

love is hard so now and then I want out

but love being love will overcome

and I’d like to…overcome you.

Darling, please, don’t misread my fuss:

this is not adieu, not toodle-oo, for the truth

is there, like shoppers shop and customers cuss,

like flies fly, beetles beet and bees just be,

that you and me equals us.