Dissembling at the wedding

The aunts and uncles kissed
with only their fat cheeks touching
lipstick leaves these marks and
you and me we don't see much in
gold-rimmed spectacles over
well-cut expensive dresses and
beards kept in perfect trim
nobody will make a mess in

      traces of passion
      or anything resembling it
      after a fashion
      we're just bent on dissembling it

designer shirts wide open
to reveal gold chains on the lawn
of chest-hair heaving hoping
for stolen kisses in the dawn


     traces of passion
     or anything resembling it
     after a fashion
     there's no dissembling it

the bride looked halfway bright
in her gown of chinese silk that
tried but failed to steal the light
of stars that beat the charms she had

    refr.


1988. Track 9 van Ludo Mariman's CD They say uit 1993