A mug, a plate, their mugs on mugs placate
their thugs, the bugs who fornicate and try
their drugs; the State’s dough released to circulate
so young love’s terror is to fructify.
One distorted face shan’t placate lust’s will
nor void the ills of rabid republicans;
the public, loudly cheering, foot the bill.
The breaking hearts of young Americans.
Kate’s barely concealed delight and glee
now the blood-line has pimmed to a hooked cross.
Tough minds rue awake a republic’s spree,
the sunrise splits the sky. Dawn as divorce
and other dirty words embroil the tongue:
then silence deploys the breathing of a single lung.

This poem was written collaboratively to mark the wedding of Wills and Kate. Every author who has published a collection with Penned in the Margins* was asked to contribute one line. They were given a rhyme word, and were allowed to see the line immediately preceding theirs. [Cavaliers and roundheads were invited to participate.]

* James Wilkes was unable to participate.