Abelard and Heloïse Illuminated
When Abelard was my age, he was dead.
I think he would have lived eternally
If he had known he’d be stiff as French bread
Flutes, as sticks of it dressed infernally,
When painted in the Roman de la Rose
In red and orange (ORANGE!). He rated
Better than that, didn’t deserve that pose
Which makes him look crippled and castrated.
And look at their hands! All four of them starched
As full of exclamation as his cock
Inside of Heloïse. Her wimple arched
Above makes her look like she’s still in shock.
..The painter would have chortled quite smugly,
Though, because he made her look so ugly.