Grotesque

‘Fucking grotesque’ – message on dating site from ‘marcus69shh’

Grotesque does not mean

ugly: it means hybridity, incongruence,

the sickening in league with the sublime,

the jolie laide, the Baywatch-bodied mantelpieces,

manticore, chimera, cockatrice;

means beautifulmonstrous

and I do not know

which              which

part                  part

of                     of

me                   me

you                  you

find                 find

beautiful          monstrous

but I hope

everyone          everyone

that                  that

you                  you

find                 find

beautiful          monstrous

treats               is treated

you                  like

like                  a

a                      beauty

monster

and you learn the hard way what the word embodies

while never finding just the word:

a champagne bucket serving as a pisspot;

a quick douche between clients

in a bathroom at the Ritz.