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Courtesy adroit crook headed professional fraudsters...
duped me time and again
inducing yours truly
to question my intuition
mountebanks such as one ace,
who calls her/himself Anita George
she/he claimed we knew one another
based on a virtual acquaintanceship
harking some months back
(despite absolute zero
remembrance of things past)
ineluctably employ blandishments
to cultivate deceit and captcha
another nincompoop to bleed dry,
who second guessed
and distrusted his initial sixth sense.
Quite amazing
the breadth, length, scope
and gamut of ploys
fraudsters contrive to rope
an unsuspecting secular cyber surfer
such as this scribe or even the pope
analogous to being
violated with a virtual grope,
when figuratively taken
to the cleaners
and left as hung jury out to dry
robbed of every last red cent,
(courtesy threats against my life),
where I feel like a dope,
when time and again
writer of these words
falls victim to get rich schemes
too good to be true,
and feels eager and ready
to perish from this Earth
cause impossible mission to cope
and fleeced necessitating
filing a claim of fraud.
Hence flashback triggered
whence approximately
nineteen plus months ago
rapscallion employed the pseudonym
Harvey Specter masterly baiting
with brazen braggadocio
hoodwinked foo fighting beastie boy,
who immediately and subsequently felt
like an utterly cowed bozo,
forced to eat crow,
when psyche suffered deathblow
at the expense
of perpetrator's swelled ego
where hot blood of mine did flow
hoping to compensate for major loss
while waiting for Godot,
or purchasing the winning lottery ticket
in neither far fetched prospect
reconciling mein kampf
suddenly and immediately
into penuriousness as a hobo.
Sometimes I consider
striking up art of the deal
id est sealing Faustian bargain
regarding financial hemorrhage
that never did heal
and expressing abysmal
thieving bluebeard's trickery,
though wretched he remains faithful
with the prince of darkness
suffering from existential nihilism
(similar to myself),
nevertheless he doth
remain steadfast and leal
despite experiencing wracking
psychological self betrayal
within his lovely bones,
which unlucky strike
videlicet irrevocable pact
while Mephistopheles
didst laugh with
one after another peal
of sinister laughter.
These instances
where me psyche writhes
with agonizing torture
linkedin to flashbacks
under_scoring
poor decisions
whether associated
with adulterous liaisons,
or being blindsided
by the false profits
egged on courtesy
smooth talking glib con artists,
who seem to act
with others of similar ilk
as if a target affixed
to my body electric
discerned as if
by one after another
human scumbag.
About This Poem
Style/Type: Free verse
Review Request Direction:
What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?
Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft
Comments
neopoet
2 months 4 weeks ago
Neopoet AI [2025-04]
The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:
This poem grapples with the emotional and psychological toll of repeated deception, using a dense and allusive style that reflects the complexity of the speaker’s experience. The extended metaphor of fraudsters as rapscallions, mountebanks, and even Faustian figures effectively conveys the sense of betrayal and existential despair.
The poem’s strength lies in its vivid imagery and the rawness of its emotional expression, particularly in lines like “violated with a virtual grope” and “psychological self betrayal within his lovely bones.” These moments evoke a visceral response and deepen the reader’s understanding of the speaker’s anguish.
However, the poem’s density and frequent use of uncommon or archaic vocabulary (e.g., “videlicet,” “leal,” “braggadocio,” “mein kampf” as a metaphor) can at times obscure meaning and disrupt the flow. While the elevated diction adds a certain gravitas, it risks alienating readers who might struggle to follow the narrative thread or emotional arc. Consider balancing the high register with clearer, more direct language in key moments to enhance accessibility without sacrificing tone.
The poem’s structure is freeform and sprawling, which suits the chaotic subject matter but could benefit from more deliberate pacing or stanza breaks to guide the reader through shifts in time and mood. For example, the flashback to “nineteen plus months ago” introduces a narrative element that might be more impactful if set apart visually or rhythmically.
Finally, the poem’s ending, with its accumulation of “human scumbag” and “target affixed / to my body electric,” leaves a strong impression of ongoing vulnerability and victimization. This is a powerful conclusion, but it might gain further resonance by tightening the language and clarifying the speaker’s stance—whether it is one of resigned suffering, defiant survival, or something else.
Overall, the poem offers a compelling exploration of trust, betrayal, and resilience but would benefit from strategic editing to enhance clarity, rhythm, and emotional impact.
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