Mary Jo Bang
C Is for Cher
C Is for Cher
Culture miniature and clad as Cleopatra, she descends
A set of semicircular steps
Tiled in a geometric mosaic pattern
And there she finds the answer: everything
Changes depending on whether
You're up or down. Behind her,
A high-relief rectangle proscenium,
Beside her, whatever intrigued her last.
An unofficial fan leaps feverishly into action, At that,
She seems to multiply. History will be filled
With the shower of dots that will become her.
At that, she becomes. It's complex.
Through the glass she sees a pair of dazzling slippers,
At dinner, her drink was called a Vladimir,
Hers was the plate that contained Washington oysters.
There she held a fork. There she was on a stage
Of discourse. Of course. Mickey Mouse comes over
And stops to stare. Cher is dressed a long gold dress.
The sequins form stripes. »If I could turn back time.«
She’s singing. And Mickey in his red pants is acting
Like the good will minister to an enraptured world.
Mickey thinks. He turns the corner.
To the gift shop: ever open.
He buys retractable mother-of-pearl opera glasses
As a present. Yes, it’s over. The present.
In which you discovered forward-thinking thought.
