178. Parasite by Alfred Kreymborg. Monroe, Harriet, ed. 1917. The New Poetry: An Anthology

Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). The New Poetry: An Anthology. 1917.

178. Parasite

By Alfred Kreymborg


GOOD woman:
Don’t love the man.
Love yourself,
As you have done so exquisitely before.
Like that tortoise-shell cat of yours	5
Washing away the flies; or are they fleas?
You’ve hurt him again?
Good!
Do it often.
No—	10
He’ll love you the more—
Always.
Remember how he forgave you the last time,
And how he loved you in the forgiving.
Give him an adventure in godhood	15
And the higher moralities.
Hurt him again.
Fine!