The Highest Bidders

Five couples who won
battered spouse auction
gathered in the woods

to taste old bourbons
and dine on wild game

for starters they tried
turkey, dove, pigeon
poppers, grouse pate,

obstetrician stut-
stuttered g-g-girl,
o-oops, n-n-no
a b-boy, ahoy

smoked trout dip, curried
bear meatballs, sausage
bits of cured bambi

five-year old watched new
mom puke in bathroom,
hands on hips, we're not
pregnant again, eh?

coconut quail soup
hare cacciatore
marinated bear
soy deer tenderloin

in old school barracks
big college bully
swashbuckled loser
roommate testified

road asparagus
cheesy polenta
walnut sugar crisps
wineberry pastry
bye blackberry pie

then the bidding stopped
with fireworks capping
a wild night dining