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We had the release party for my school's creative writing journal today and my classmate Melissa Hiller read her poem. She's done some research at strip clubs/exit hotlines and as a result, has a very anti-sex industry stance. She wrote a very good expose on what she learned and with any luck, I'll get my hands on it and post that too.


Apparently she was denied admissions to another programs when she submitted this poem, because the male prof thought her work was "morally dangerous" (she speculates that he's a strip-club goer and didn't like seeing a dissenting viewpoint).

Thought I'd share it since it was so good.
She got a great response from the audience.

Appetite at the Silver Dollar-Melissa Hiller



They're all so pretty,
Aren't they?
A flock of temptation
Each one feathered and fluttered
For the individual pull of your fellow leers.

Hot and pink with wet enticing curves
Garbed in the young to younger of flesh
Under the writhing strobes of fantasy.

But you do not see them prepare
The dull empty reflection of eyes
Assembled along the ruse
Of glamourous mirrors
Studded with lights
Emulating that of a true star.

How they apply their fake fuck me,
Come hither stares
While taking a swig of courage
And a snort of valor.

And so they clip and preen
Pluck and tuck
Shimmer and gloss,
Behind the velvet curtain of your patience.

(for tonight they know is a free for all grope, a buffet of breasts and thighs)

And you wait

With the lather and foam
Of lapping tongues
And stirring pants
Like heathens grunting
Like animals gathering
As the prey dances for the feast and devour.

(For tonight is Buffalo wings special, included with a free lap dance)

So you nosh and slosh
Drip and drool
Gobble and slobber

Not bothering to wipe you soiled hands,
Figuring a nice piece of ass
Would be a more suitable napkin
Placed upon your lap.

that's really REALLY good.... "morally dangerous"??? ha. I'm saving this poem. It's really wonderful (not the subject matter, but you know what I mean).

Really interesting way to describe images (I was going to say "nice images" but coupled with the subject matter it just skeeved me out!).
Likely, as bluecoat suggests, a biographical piece for the loser professor (and yes--I tell you I don't know what it is with misogynists and creative writing programs but ugh! everywhere).

Pass along, if you would, my "Right on Melissa!" KatetheGreat!

Melissa herself suggested that he might be a stripclub go-er. There's definitely a problem w/ creative writing classes and the stuff some men choose to read. My creative writing prof had us uncritically read a piece that his former male student wrote about a stripper... He even had his former student come in to speak about his piece in front of the class like he's some hot shot writer. Then there's those poetry nights--- I remember some loser who started reading his poem and saying how he was getting head.. I got mad and wrote an email to the same professor about the poetry night... haven't gotten in touch with him about that stripper piece though. maybe I will even though it happened four years ago...

Excellent poem!

It made me feel disgu_sted. She's a good poet.