The Vision of the Balding Gent (Edit, title change)

[dukealien]

The Vision of the Balding Gent


Death’s a leggy Usherette,
short-skirted, jacket double-breasted,
pillbox cap set at a saucy slant.
Follow her dim flashlight—
and, in truth, firm twinkles
of her gleaming gams—
down long declining aisles
to a place assigned,
hand clutching saffron popcorn,
candy safely pocketed.
Previews run,
outlasting food and breath;
fall buttered into sleep anointed,
jumbo soda tumbling, last thought
not Our Feature Presentation but
those crisply crossing thighs.

Death—lovely concept to assuage
the sameness of our immortality,
you grinning, hidden Manager!
I’ll bet you take her home
after work.

Leading Light


Hooded phantom with a scythe?
Don’t be silly!
Death’s a leggy Usherette, hot-pantsed,
short jacket double-breasted,
pillbox cap set at a saucy slant.
Follow her dim flashlight—
and, in truth, firm twinkles
of her gleaming gams—
down long declining aisles
to a place assigned,
arms full of buttered popcorn,
Good&Plenty safely pocketed.
Previews run,
outlasting food and breath;
fall into sleep anointed,
jumbo soda tumbling, last thought
not of Feature but
those crisply crossing thighs.

Death—what a concept
to assuage the boredom of
our binding immortality!
You hidden Manager, I’ll bet
you take her home
after work.

Alternate title:  "The Vision of the Pensioner," which unfortunately doesn't work in American English.

As a first cut, are the first two lines necessary?