Joe Orton’s Wedding

At Joe Orton's wedding
The bride wore black
Death caught the discarded bouquet
The marriage was consumated
In a gentleman's loo on the way

Joe pulled out a plum
From the bitter tart
As the honeymoon sank in the West
Til death us do part
Rice paper heart
Old, borrowed and blue
Laid to rest

To wait in the wings of a shadow
Catching only the spray from each splash
In the sun by a swimming pool in Tangier
Black gags having turned to green cash

The bride became a burden
A damper on champagne wit
Living in fear of every taboo
On which, Joe, with ink, would spit

"Mister Sloane, I have a problem
It's about the trouble and strife"
"Forget it, come to a party
But for Heaven's sake, don't bring the wife!"

Mrs. Orton penned the ending
The final play for today
Putting faith in nembrutals
And a hammer to keep it that way

A drag on the closing curtain
Michelangelo's David saw all
Double death real life drama
Observed by the eyes on a wall