Song for a house arrest.

This is the ankle bracelet, John Keats,

that beeps whenever you go to Wendy’s.

This is the barrel of onion soup mix

they give you for calling yourself trash.

Which character will you relate to now?

Which literary character will it be?

The Elvis character in Roustabout

or the Elvis character in Tickle Me?

This is no lights after curfew, Rimbaud.

This is to hell with a once-cherished cause.

Very few walk up to the guillotine

still shouting, ‘Vive la révolution!’

Which character will you relate to now?

Which literary character will it be?

The Elvis character in Kissin’ Cousins

or the Elvis character in Blue Hawaii?