Dying Gaul

Fool country boy,
Didn't you know?
It was best for you simply
to surrender
to their will.
Wave the white flag.
Yes, you tried to, maybe,
in your own way,
but it had too much rebellion in it,
or they didn't understand.
They didn't get your meek accepting
listening silence,
for the bow that it was.
You loved what they brought to you,
taught to you,
and you ever smiled in their very presence.
You were in fact the perfect student
with an ear that loved the poetry,
read it well, and also
everything she said.
Just that you had troubles
getting your papers in.
You held in things you wanted to tell her.
It was all tied together.

It's a Catch 22 anyway.
A glass of wine to ease the pain
of serving people
perpetuates the necessity to have to go on
doing so.
The waitress, pregnant, will leave early tonight,
leaving me to clean up
and count the money
all alone.
Lock the door.
Mount the bicycle,
and ride home,
to no one.
It's a nice ride home anyway.

I read a line from Larkin today.
It kept me company.