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Poem-a-Day

The only daily poetry series publishing new work by today’s poets.

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Poem-a-day

A Dozen Cocktails Please

No spinsterlollypop for me—yes—we have 
No bananas I got lusting palate—I  Always eat them— — — — — — —     
They have dandy celluloid tubes—all sizes—
Tinted diabolically as a baboon’s hind-complexion. 
A man’s a— 
Piffle! 
Will-o’-th’-wisp! What’s the dread 
Matter with the up-to-date-American- 
Home-comforts? Bum insufficient for the 
Should-be wellgroomed upsy! 
That’s the leading question. 
There’s the vibrator— — — 
Coy flappertoy! I am adult citizen with 
Vote—I demand my unstinted share 
In roofeden—witchsabbath of our baby- 
Lonian obelisk.  
What’s radio for—if you please? 
“Eve’s dart pricks snookums upon 
Wirefence. ” 
An apple a day— — —   
It’ll come— — — — 
Ha! When? I’m no tongueswallowing yogi. 
Progress is ravishlng—
It doesn’t me—
Nudge it—
Kick it—
Prod it—
Push it—
Broadcast— — — —
That’s the lightning idea! 
S.O.S. national shortage of—  
What ? 
How are we going to put it befitting 
Lifted upsys? 
Psh! Any sissy poet has sufficient freezing 
Chemicals in his Freudian icechest to snuff all 
Cockiness. We’ll hire one. 
Hell! Not that! That’s the trouble— —  
Cock crow silly! 
Oh fine! 
They’re in France—the air on the line—
The Poles— — — — — —
Have them send waves—like candy—
Valentines— — — —
“Say it with— — — 
Bolts ! 
Oh thunder! 
Serpentine aircurrents— — —
Hhhhhphssssssss! The very word penetrates 
I feel whoozy! 
I like that. I don’t hanker after Billyboys—but I am entitled 
To be deeply shocked. 
So are we—but you fill the hiatus. 
Dear—I ain’t queer—I need it straight— —
A dozen cocktails—please— — — —

This poem is in the public domain. Published in Poem-a-Day on March 14, 2026, by the Academy of American Poets.

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Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven

Elsa von Freytag-Loringhoven
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About Poem-a-Day

Poem-a-Day is the original and only daily digital poetry series featuring over 250 new, previously unpublished poems by today’s talented poets each year. Danusha Laméris is the Guest Editor for March. Read or listen to a Q&A with Laméris about his curatorial process, and learn more about the 2026 Guest Editors. Support Poem-a-Day.  

If you have any questions about Poem-a-Day, visit our Poem-a-Day FAQ.

Previous Poems

Title Author Date
Drifting Flowers of the Sea Sadakichi Hartmann 09/16/2018
The Shroud Edna St. Vincent Millay 09/15/2018
This Sunday in Ordinary Time Peter Twal 09/14/2018
Workshop Jacob Shores-Argüello 09/13/2018
There Is a Devil Inside Me Carolina Ebeid 09/12/2018
Gloria Lena Khalaf Tuffaha 09/11/2018
Becoming Ghost Cathy Linh Che 09/10/2018
The Crocuses Frances Ellen Watkins Harper 09/09/2018
The Flower George Herbert 09/08/2018
Parkinson’s Disease: Autumn Andrés Cerpa 09/07/2018

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