Uh, Mr. Howard, I have a Poem

I got out of bed early yesterday morning. I had my coffee and breakfast and sat down in my chair to read a little Robert Frost. For some reason, even before I opened the book, a poem sprang full blown into my head. Well, actually, just the first two lines. But before I could get a pencil and paper, the thing was fleshing itself out and by the time I got seated again, it was practically set in stone in my little old mind.

Here it is, untitled as yet:

She set her cap, said, "he's the man
Whom I want to wed,"
Not thinking of the other ones
That may have shared his bed.

They married, and he left her flat,
After two months and went his way,
Leaving her with HIV,
Her reward for their play.

And, six years later, to the day,
After she became his wife,
We laid her in a cold, cold grave,
When she gave up her life.

So, girls, remember, though it be love,
or passion, if you please,
There's danger in this big old world,
Whenever you spread your knees.


Now, what should be the title? So far I have LUST and JUST LUST. I tinkered with Advice to the Loveworn, but discarded it. Help me out. Give me a title.


Oh, the title of this post --is a quotation from a character that appeared on a 1950's tv program called, aptly enough, It Pays to be Ignorant. I used to watch it every week when I was in my teens.