In Montreal
I saw a stripper die.
One would imagine
this would be bad for business.
But not a single person
in the club batted an eye.
All in attendance
continued to sit in their seats,
staring at the stage.
Beverages in hands.
Stationary lips on faces.
Staring.
Staring
Staring.
The DJ didn’t stop the music.
Seconds after the stripper collapsed,
with red life slowly oozing
from her mouth,
the DJ introduced another girl.
Her name was Caramel.
A new song played.
Caramel danced around
the dead stripper’s body.
Seemingly unflustered by the corpse.
Midway through Caramel’s set,
two other dancers made
their way to the stage.
They propped up the dead stripper.
Held her upright.
Caramel used the propped dead body
as a stripper’s pole,
sliding down the corpse while
pushing her boobs together.
Simultaneous action.
It was impressive.
I wasn’t the only one who thought this.
The audience was impressed as well.
Dollar bills hit the stage.
Happy customers.
Caramel knew how to
please those in attendance.
She ignored death and made sure
the dance continued.
There is always money to be made
when the show goes on.
Jeff Musillo is the author of The Ease of Access (2013) Can You See That Sound (The Operating System, 2014) and Snapshot Americana (Roundfire Books, 2014). He is also a visual artist who has exhibited his work in the George Billis Gallery, Lumiere, the Cutting Room, Greenpoint Gallery, and elsewhere. His new book The States will be published in July by Civil Coping Mechanisms.
