The Banquet

The Banquet




Redolent portions of meat are consumed
a meal far greater than one thought could provide,
bantam nuggets of truth lie wasted
strewn carelessly amidst the detritus…

a banquet overripe with infinite savory morsels of doubt and deceit,
gorged upon by those starving for something elusive,
their palates cleansed by mellow wine filling goblets of greed,
raised in honor of the feast…

wine mingles with meat
sliding placidly down the throats of the ever-willing,
leaded crystal in the hands
catch and hold the malevolent light of fevered eyes,
both seem to wink in gathered approval…

laughter congests the hall as the orchestra tunes,
couples merge, forming the ritual ballet of the absurd
while those more dedicated remain,
completely devouring the final portion of carrion repast.

A life hangs in the balance,
only a subtle nuance left where once vitality and honor dwelt.
A life battered by ridicule and scorn,
its truth obscured by stratums of profiteering and indulgence,
flayed for those feasting

One fleeting glance is all I have been granted…
a look into what I could have possessed
yet chose not to obtain.

I stand naked in a blackened room,
exposed, stripped of dignity, awaiting my fate,
secure in the knowledge I chose well
against those offering emptiness to fill.

Sated, the banquet is mine.

Free Verse Poetry Form


Word prompt – “Where It Ends”