Her Saturn Return Bleeds The Noir Of Noir

the androgynous statue offered she raised skyward
and she almost tipped over backward..

so she thanked her trademarked wonderful fans blah blah
and the pentagram tables of suited women and men and..
applaud their nod
the chiselled chiefs baleful before the gleam and the glisten
teeth too full of teeth peel back vice-tightened skin for prisms
cgi fireworks will vividly display on scrying mirrors
and bring to an end another awards season
the crackling crescendo will serenade the amorphous smog
the no contest no contest
no contest..
 
she walked off the stage four-walled
marching lithely to the countdown to another commercial break
3-2-1
she waved one final time
the choreography co-signed and perfect
the dog food and the toilet roll and the anti-anxiety pills
brought you this magical carpet ride of weird
so yielding for the others
they will bear so very lightly the tragedy to soon follow
though the slivered civilians will be crushed again to wrap in a bow
so glad to receive the baton they are so broken
slow hand-clap
slow hand-clap..

a few beats later and sat all alone with three minders
all unblinking inside the static flashes
in the stretch limo radiating darkened toughened glass
snowed the drone hum the aum of the parching air conditioning
where she started to weep musing
what is this thing that must pass
one minder offered her a tissue
while with the other hand took her statue
a tissue for a statue
and dropped it in a plastic bag holding its concrete value..

later after rictus grinning through the after show parties
rinse and repeat
she stood on the balcony of her hotel suite
the light pollution from down below shimmered shivers
tore closed the raiment
rolling up the starry scroll..

that gaze down again
the blinking lights the neon signs
the too pretty transience broke her
broke her one final time
and so very despite herself
despite herself being what they had carefully fashioned
her becoming for her ending
for another becoming
already propositioned and prepped to race down the pipeline
to be actioned with her finishing school-grace and stoicism
face down face up..

and there
just there below and down to the left
a newly adorned award-winning actress
also alone
immersed in the infinity pool
a few widths of the blue foil glow swam up to her
the camouflaged octopus mesmerised by itself..

and as she pulled herself up and out
her shadow man deliberatively carelessly threw at her a towel
a corner of which greedily sipped the chlorine
3-2-1
she fished the towel out
3-2-1
only the distant cicadas
3-2-1
and as she dropped the towel back into the infinity pool slo-mo
she stared at the shadow man
and
3-2-1
the shadow man rolled the drinks trolley into the pool
crash..
cicadas..

a ratatat on the sliden shut triple-glazed door
your very last interview has arrived..
she gazed at her handler as he droned
you should be happy
it has been signed-off so no need to worry
then off we go
you are done and gone
you disappeared into your sunset golden already
my condolences and congratulations on your passing..

the interviewer walked in
and offered her three a4 sheets
this is what you will say here
is there anything you wish to add
she shook her head no
the interviewer looked at the handler
the handler looked at the handled
you know this is your last one
your last interview
so this time you may say a few lines of your own
but only if you wish..

we have added the requisite mystery
the baked-in ambiguity
the open-ending for the rock-laden casket
the tabloid fake conspiracies
all the usual misdirection will sit pretty
were you murdered
or was it a suicide
the only options provided
never the hoax of course..

of course..she repeated
she looked through them both
3-2-1
and walked back out to the balcony
then dropped the three sheets over the edge unread
one sheet quivered like a leaf
before landing on the infinity pool
the actress looked up
but did not swim out to read the slowly bleeding ink
soon to insinuate with the chlorine and the chivas regal
soon to entwine with the drowned trolley of silver-sprayed plastic..

the interviewer shrugged her shoulders
the handler ushered her out
no matter for the gain-of-function-tomorrow
is all ready for the magazine stands
exclusive – the unanswered questions
that never asks about the forbidden unasked..

early next morning she sat breathing in
the sprayed scent of leather in the private jet
observing the breaking news she reclined
her tragic death announced on all channels
the usual theatre the usual noir verité
the trolley
the ticker-tape
the red and blue flashing lights
a genuine dummy strapped under the sheet jealously guarded
as it is wheeled out and lifted into the hollywood ambulance
by masked comedy paramedics..

and there blinking before the paps
the fake distraught witness
for some reason wrapped like a boxer in a towel
the fake witness wrapped like a boxer in a towel
being comforted by a fake reporter as earnest as the joker
breaking news breaking news
the star found dead in tragic circumstances
tragic circumstances emphasised
perhaps to clarify for the viewer
that the star was not found dead in life-affirming circumstances..

no doubt a fake investigation
complete with fake pathologists will find answers
and fake friends of the dead will shed their fake tears earnest
inject more trauma then deftly insert product placement
yeah..she was so talented..
yet troubled..
why did she jump..
or i have to ask was she..pushed..i dunno..
she laughed watching that
good grief talk about telegraphing
the cliches springing forth for the revolving hearse-roundabout..

as high as an eagle soaring
her new pointman sat across from her
you can breathe easy now
this project is completely over
at least for you so please rest and relax..

for your next..
we believe no plastic surgery will be required
a slight change in body shape
and different make-up will more than suffice
perhaps a new hairstyle
your old one being so iconic
that is all you will need
it is all too perfect
too perfect..

so your new ident is all good to go
here are the documents
you did so well
all the messages and meaning transmitted perfectly
it will echo for the given
you are a legend among your own you know
not only for those idiots down below
you have risen high by a fair few degrees i am told
your beautiful secluded villa awaits you..

your father the admiral would be so proud
now you can lay low for a while in the seychelles
the hollywood biopic has already been penned by the baron
another 27-club martyr you are
the nihilism always so giving..

he roared and roared with laughter
he raised a glass to the immortalising deadened
their gifts never-ending
the great flood of emptiness ever-expanding
as more beckoning sirens weep..