Suzy Zeus Gets Organized Read Online Free Page A

silence
    when she prays, or worse, repents.
    Gazing at the congregation,
    Suzy feels the men so near.
    Half have muscles on their muscles.
    So—invite them for a beer?
    Half the congregation's gorgeous.
    More than seven-eighths are queer.
    Suzy gives to charities and
    keeps their thank-yous on her shelf.
    Suzy's been a sidewalk Santa,
    raising funds—without an elf.
    Suzy's done her part. Please note: she's
    sick of being by herself.
    Suzy thinks about the rector—
    and that quiet deacon, too.
    One is married, one's a homo.
    What's a single girl to do?
    Somewhere someone's there for Suzy.
    God is gone, so tell her who.
    SUZY PLUMMETS
     
    Suzy wants to kiss the rector,
    wants to lure him to her bed,
    take him in the apse at night, or
    in the aisle in church instead.
    If God knew of Suzy's visions,
    Suzy would be stricken dead.
    Suzy sat and watched the Reverend
    at her seventh Welcome Tea.
    For a Father, Father Robert
    was as hot as hot could be.
    Now she hugs a sofa pillow.
    Did he wonder? Could he see?
    Robert does a lot of writing.
    Robert knows a lot of art.
    Once an Ivy League professor,
    Robert is extremely smart.
    Suzy's more than primed to give the
    man her sacred bleeding heart.
    Suzy Zeus has followed Robert
    upstairs, downstairs, through the church.
    He's so goddamn charismatic
    he could end her guy research.
    Suzy wonders what she looks like
    from his lofty pulpit perch.
    Suzy Zeus is cracking open,
    tipping over, pouring out.
    Suzy Zeus is spilling sideways,
    falling faithward, dripping doubt.
    Wants a little information—
    like, to know what life's about.
    Robert's gone to Massachusetts
    in a sporty little car,
    where, he says, there's only ocean
    and a big ol' VCR.
    Says he plans to rent some movies
    then go biking wide and far.
    Suzy Zeus, though left behind, is
    trying hard to act adult:
    not to grouse and not to gossip,
    not to judge, condemn, insult.
    Not to let herself start thinking
    that St. Jude's is just a cult.
    Suzy wants to wash his linens,
    wants to hang out on his stoop.
    Suzy wants to slash the tires
    of his jazzy little coupe.
    Suzy needs this priestly absence
    as a moment to regroup.
    SUZY TRIES NOT TO KICK HIM
     
    Suzy Zeus could break his monstrance.
    Suzy Zeus could burn his books.
    Suzy may try veritas, and
    soon—before she's lost her lux.
    Suzy wants to bop him with his
    secret practice bishop's crooks.
    Suzy had a lunch of pasta
    with the pastor of her dreams.
    Suzy sat there silent, desperate—
    counting floor tiles, waiters, beams.
    Could he see her rigid posture?
    Could he hear her inner screams?
    Suzy wants to tell the preacher.
    Suzy wants to take his arm.
    Wants to make the congregation
    raise its eyebrows in alarm.
    Needs to come to (all) her senses—
    not to hate him, not to harm.
    Suzy Zeus, O perfect pinup!
    Suzy Zeus, O perfect sphere!
    Suzy Zeus, supremely sphygmic—
    rhythm of my inner ear!
    Suzy Zeus, so coeternal,
    coincide and coinhere!
    SUZY TRIES NOT TO CARE
     
    Sometimes Suzy thinks that Robert
    may be just a genius jerk.
    Sometimes she could smash the windows
    of his bonny Village kirk.
    Face it—praying can't affect things,
    and the Bible doesn't work.
    Suzy's going to read the Tarot.
    Suzy's going to cast the Ching.
    Going to use the constellations.
    Going to figure yan and ying.
    Try out dream interpretation—
    just like Martin Luther King.
    Suzy wants a year of tangos.
    Suzy wants a year of Scotch.
    Suzy's going to speak, not listen.
    Suzy's going to play, not watch.
    Quite the eager beaver, Suzy's
    back to bedposts she can notch.
    Down at Louie's, Suzy needs a
    skirt that gets her better tips.
    For her birthday, give her leather—
    something where the front unzips.
    If she gets a telegram, it
    better be a guy who strips.

CHAPTER 6
Suzy in Love
     

SUZY MEETS A GUY
     
    Last week, at a parish meeting,
    Suzy saw a stunning sight:
    someone with a brace of cheekbones
    higher than a flying kite.
    William spoke, and made it clear, on
    top of that, that he