HER ROYAL ISHNESS

A woman
of few words.

She was considered
quite a dish.

So stylish.
A la Lillian Gish

"Are you cold?"
I asked as host.

"...ish!"
she offered

barely moving
her lips.

"When would you like to eat
8 or..?"

"8...ish!"

She could shoehorn her "ish" tidbit
into almost any conversation.

"Yes;.veggie!"
"No...no fish!"

She let her eyes
do all the talking.

She absorbed the room
and all the men and all their mores.

Found them wanting.
Knew what they wanted.
Wanted none of it.
Left them panting.

She left when it was getting
late...ish.

"Tired!"
"...ish!" she ished.

Like a ventriloquist.
Her lips barely parting.

She spoke with a lisp
and a cold.

So that a kiss
became a khiss.

I gave her the goodbye khiss
she wished.

She left and left us
each bereft.

As if a voiceover
or an intercom had announced

her departure.

"Her Royal Ishness
has left the building!"