The Sturdy Beggar

[Philatone]

hello penguin!

He bears a cornucopia
of psychiatric symptoms
and gives me claustrophobia
when I spot him in the distance.
Instantly I’m lonelier,
that old familiar sickness:
the seasoned melancholia
that turkeys feel at Christmas.
He’s purporting to be holier
but as Heaven is my witness,
he’s out to get one over you
and he'd screw his ma for sixpence.
Beware the gloomy brochure -
he isn’t kosher.

He’ll sing a song of suicide
and the cuffs upon his wrists
will rise enough to catch my eyes
but I’m unconvinced by this. ....feels a tad like forced filler; I think it's the "this". finding a way to end on "unconvinced" could make it a little smoother
I recognise who’s bona fide
and he isn’t on that list.
He starts a war and then subsides
when the touch-paper is lit, ...stumbled a bit while reading this line. think it's the "the touch"
conquers you and then divides
your loyalties bit by bit;
he sells weapons to both sides
though he knows it’s not legit.
He’s gamekeeper and poacher -
he isn’t kosher.

I’ve had more than my quota
of his brainless, boorish banter.
There ought to be a rota,
someone else should have to answer
when his mouth begins to motor
as he pulls another flanker
lying sprawled across the sofa
where his arse has dropped the anchor. great line, maybe my favorite so far
Watch him play the passive smoker
while infecting us with cancer!
How I wish he were remoter
than the coast of Casablanca! ...this is great
He’s a hoodwinker and hoaxer –
he isn’t kosher.

I have few comments to add, so i won't be of much help. it's strong. the flow is wonderful. I found the first stanza the strongest (i feel like in pieces like this, with a form like this, the first stanza tends to be that way).

afterwards, what with the freshness wearing off, the descriptions (and really, that is what they are) begin to lose a bit of their effect. lines like the Casablanca and the anchor in the last stanza do keep the fire going. it really felt like something fun to write, and it was fun to read