Sonnet from the Porch de Guise

Salome, iron-willed and seven-veiled,
aspires to kiss the mouth of Iokanaan
(a water sorcerer known as “the Baptist”
who, from his cistern prison, long has railed
against Herodias, whore of Babylon
and mother to Salome, in terms aptest)
to accomplish which, once blunt appeal has failed,
she switches tack and works her wiles upon
the Tetrarch, who, six veils into his fap fest,
ill kens just what his promise has entailed
(he’s thinking peacocks) but he learns anon:
the girl demands the prophet’s head. The hapless
Tetrarch protests in vain; that ship has sailed.
Nothing to do but have the bitch impaled.