Joe, Arthur, Bobby and John

Raquel Rivera

It makes sense to think about it because to see her, is to know her is to love her just the same that's what the posters say and the calendars and the t-shirts and the buttons and the fridge magnets and the movies too all that soft and sexy without any sex that open mouth was tight-lipped because what do we know about them Monroe's men?

You never told us what it was like for you

You never told us about the big sloppy guy the one with the suit that bagged at the elbows and the seat. Was he an assistant producer or a casting agent was he the one who jumped under your covers and buried his head up under your nightie was he the one who hummed and buzzed until you slid up and down over his face did you worry that you were taking too long but kept going anyway while the going was so good

Or the one when you just lay there thinking of nothing in particular while he rocked inside you and then the rocking caused an itch that only the rocking could scratch and you waited breath baited what else could you do while he slowly deliberately scratched that itch for you. Afterwards he rested on you and chuckled in your ear pleased with his work that one was

Or the one who made you swoon you hadn't known it could be true just by taking off your bra and then not touching your breasts like you expected like you wanted

Or the one who knew as well as you that it's all in the mind how we take our pleasure

Which was Joe which was Arthur which was Bobby and John which was the stranger in a desert swimming pool which was the elevator operator in the red-peaked cap which was the photographer (or was that one gay?) which was the drug store delivery boy who was really a man but they called him a boy because he was black. He brought Nembutal to a hotel room in Niagara Falls while you waited in a bra and panties and a sheer slip

It was a sharp edge you walked on at times you must have felt a fraud inside that armour that gifted strong womans body helicoptered in for an appearance packed into red sequin and fox what a goddess they must have hated you a little because they adored you despite themselves and you would have known that because you hated you a little too didn't you

That's two bitter pills it must have taken a lot of Nembutal to swallow that

But the last word goes to you called in to a phone booth where your next husband waits they said you'd done the scene with vulgarity what is she a registered nurse you retorted

Can't stand women you said they're afraid of women you said

Oh, one more thing your secretary Hedda said you ought to get out of the business she said it's not doing you any good she said and I quote Marilyn is constantly having to test what she hasn't been able to put together yet which makes sense if you think about it.

 

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This poem previously appeared in Total Cardboard issue 5, see www.totalcardboard.com. Copyright remains with Raquel Rivera.