Hey everybody!  This is almost Finished version of this poem on page BUT I'd like to lose a couple of lines to fit it into one minute rounds for slam competition. I've italicized  the parts that are on the chopping block.  It timed out at 1:11 in my last reading. But I like my ten second grace period to be just that so I'm looking to lose 11 second. Let me know what you think should go, or what more you want from the piece.thanks WD


Bettie Paige

Bettie, if they could fantasize me into non-existence
I would take it.

for you I would be
etched onto forearms, biceps and thighs

cast as a tattoo bombshell
Dark curls rest like snakes on bare shoulders

Bettie Paige, we will live on
winking at the camera forever
in snuff film heaven

We are cigar smoke
thick and blue; lurking around ankles
Banned from most bars these days
you can still smell us in the floor boards

No amount of varnish can remove these stains
it's part of who we are

Bettie if your skin is die cast hand painted metal
are you to be collected

Have they finally made you hard for a change
wished Medusa's curse-gift into reverse

Give me metal skin
make me pant like Jenna Jameson until
I never want to fuck off camera again

Paint me beautiful
         I am damaged
with vixen red lips
         say that is not the problem
sparkling with snake oil

stretch me across canvas Olivia
make me understand the power of lust in two dimensions

Bettie I was wondering if you ever get tired of looking at stone.