april is the cruellest month
list the rue on
this april’s cruellest truth
sap its latest strut
break its aprilest truth
beat this truth through
to its beauty treat it true
break this this still cruelty
till april’s truth is beauty
and beauty truth this rasp
is all that april shall ever
trust no beauty this truth
this list this rue this moth
this mouth this cruelty

 

Gregory Betts is the author of five books of poetry including The Obvious Flap (with Gary Barwin). His new book Boycott is forthcoming from Make Now Press, and his home on the web is http://gregorybetts.wordpress.com/.