Diane Wakoski And Batman

1. Watson and Holmes


“Come, Watson, come!” he cried. “The game is afoot.”

“No. No, thank you. Sorry, but I think I’ll pass.”

“We must catch the Kentish train. Hopkins awaits.”

“No. You go without me. I’m done with this stuff.”

“But look at this note. I’ve already deduced—”

“I’m sure that you’ve deduced wonderful things. But
my heart’s not in these mysteries anymore.”

“A young lady’s in trouble, Watson. We must—”

“Everyone’s in trouble, Holmes. Go. Do your thing.
But I’m done. I’ve got my own troubles to fix.
Go, Holmes. Good luck to you. But, please, just get out.”




2. Diane Wakoski and Batman


I’d rather be Claude Monet than T. J. Hooker.
I’d rather be Erica Jong than Charlie Chan.
I’d rather be Diane Wakoski than Batman.
I’d rather be Andy Warhol than Lew Archer.

I don’t want to see folks get away with murder,
don’t want to see the triumph of an evil plan,
but I would rather live for making what I can
than live for crushing the dream of some mad dreamer.

Over the weekend I didn’t save a young child
held hostage by the Joker spreading anarchy.
I didn’t make the world marvel at my true grit

when I tracked down a mad scientist running wild
and foiled his scheme using his own technology.
But over the weekend I did write this sonnet.