This poem was recently revised, and due to formatting problems has been re-posted ojut of chronological order. 

To Whom it May Concern

Aug 1 2010

To whom it may concern.

The statue arrived, finally,

nice work, good Italian marble.

But one arm was broken-off,

and who knew

it came without paint.

I could swear I ordered Aphrodite;

is it possible you sent Venus

by mistake?

I know, I know

one man’s goddess of Love

is another man’s harlot;

and Beauty’s just a social construct,

women oppressed

by the unreal expectations of men.

It will cost an arm and a leg

(an arm - huh!)

to ship it back.

And as it is, the thing adds some class

to our garden nook,

all those gnomes and whirligigs,

the fountain with the pissing sprites

my wife insisted on.

So please forward, posthaste

a partial refund, in my name,

to general delivery

Pompeii.

Sincerely

etc . . .