Le perle

Le rubis

Millis was sitting in the corner of the room on a worn settee

She was drunk and had been drinking heavily since she returned from her grandmother’s funeral

The chain which swept down over your once ivory throat

Will never as it used to do adorn your breasts

Your breasts will no longer smell of the cedars 

Nor will they be fragrant with the perfumes of Sheba

Dottie sat on the arm of the settee and ran her fingers through Millis’s raven hair

The perfumes of Sheba

Oui

Les pafums de Sabee

Would you speak English to me

 You know my French is poor

Very well

Make that your last drink

No I will have many more

Then you will end up in hospital

I never thought that I would lose her

All of us were shocked

Oui

One day she was here and the next she was dead

If I could lay my hands on that driver

No do not think about him

I am probably glad that she died in an accident

Dottie stood up and glared at her friend

That is a dreadful thing to say she was the kindest woman I have ever met

But she was decaying

She was getting old

She was decaying

I was glad that she died suddenly and was not allowed to decay

It was a hit and run somebody hit your grandmother then he or she drove off with your grandmother dead in the road

They are my heroes

 I worship them

You are drunk Millis and are becoming offensive

She died a pure death and was not allowed to decay you must see that

She died in pain on a wet dark winter road

She died instantly

She experienced no pain

And you have just buried her

I have no mother

My father is a bastard

I am a solitary child

I have no brothers or sisters

You have me

You are my sister and I love you

You know that well

I can do two things-

Et vos visages detteints

De leur naturel albatre

N’auront souci que leurs teints

Soient peintures de cinabre

I can make a pot of coffee

You do not make pots of coffee

Well I make pots of coffee

Or I can put on my coat and leave you to drink yourself into a stupor

Then fuck off Dottie if you do not love me

Friends are meant to love each other

I love you Millis but you are not giving me much of a chance

You should cry and let it all out

Cowards cry

Why should I cry when I am bathed in happiness?

I am glad that my grandmother is dead I hated watching her decay

I am going to make coffee

So you are going to make coffee

You are going to drink the coffee I make and I am going to empty the remainder of that bottle down the sink

There are many other bottles

Unopened

I can open bottles you know

They will remain unopened

You will drink the coffee and in about an hour you will vomit in the toilet

But I will be with you ensuring that your raven hair is not soiled

It will be better in the morning

Millis leaned forward to pick up the half empty glass

See the glass is half empty

No Millis if you drink from that glass I will leave you to gloat in your own rottenness

Very well give me a coffee

I will drink your fucking coffee

You are so straight so fucking boring

Many good people lose people who are dear to them and they do not react the way you have

You are disgusting at times

I tried to understand you and be with you as I felt you needed me

But you celebrate in your own squalor

You do not try

 My mother died she was all I had

My father had fucked off and I was on my own

A solitary child

But she was there

She was always there

And now she is dead killed by a complete stranger

Sit next to me

I feel so lonely

I will not drink

Stay with me

You are my only friend

You ask for nothing in return

You are so uncomplicated

I am sorry if I made you cry

I cannot cry

I have never been able to cry

I did not cry when my mother died

Truthfully I was a little relived

Her death was obscene

It destroyed my faith

I cursed the Virgin

And I cannot cry now

I would give anything to weep fully

But I cannot cry

Please weep for me

When filled with anguish with all freedom torn from us with sobs and moaning we shall end our lives

Are you making that up as you go along

Making what up?

The lines of poetry you are quoting

No it is not mine

It is quite beautiful

I know my grandmother taught me these lines and many others

Was the poet famous

Not as a poet but more as a dramatist he was only an occasional poet

What was his name

Robert Garnier his name was Robert Garnier

He is well known in my country

As she finished her sentence Millis lurched forward and vomited into the tiled fireplace

Get it out I can clean it up later after I see to you

Breathe slowly do not panic  

Are you finished?

Or is there any more to come up?

Get rid of it Millis

There is no more

Then I will take you to the bathroom and clean you up

I will stay with you

You will not be left alone

Look Dottie look at the fireplace it is covered in rubies and pearls

The jewels of my madness

Le perle

Le rubis