Ben Franklin

 

7_23_277_eleven

Nov. 2012 - May 28, 2013

 

larry curtis  spurlock

belles de franklin

 

stanza 1-8

born of a sunday

in boston of that time

was sinful and

the puritans called it a crime

josiah the father

and abiah his spouse

soon baptized the child

at the old south meeting house

stanza 9-16

17 years would pass

before the widow read

entered into common-law marriage

without her property deed

before that a young lady

prostitute by trade

bared his illegitimate son

her memory soon to fade

stanza 17-24

a move to phi-town

would bring upon this topic

a virile unruly gentleman

whose reputation became myopic

but it wasn’t until europe

a destination in 1757

london frankfort paris

presented a femme heaven

stanza 25-32

whispers of a married madame brillon

to whom love letters were sent

brought great importance to america’s cause

with all the money she spent

we shant forget madame helvetius

to whom he actually proposed

but so sorry unable to marry

until wife deborah disposed

stanza 33-40

countess d’houdetot so influential

helping america succeed

and duchess de la rochefoucauld

a political lady in need

surely there were many others

who shared his intellect and chaise

not to mention his interest

in his party’s base

stanza 41-48

and so the belles of benjamin

lovely and spicey and proper

lend a view into americana

quite the historical show stopper

ladies of means and sexuality

presenting their points of view

happily exploited by ben franklin

not all for the red white & blue

 

fini