Comeback

 For while in the 1970’s, television was liberal
difficult to imagine that the flagrance of cyberspace
that
impotence, unfaithfulness, homosexuality
were once designated contentious, controversial
and shocking
but they were.
An afternoon weekday panel show
agony aunt-ed them in public along with the mundane anxieties
of in-laws, teenagers, finances and neighbours
discussions were lively, often witty,
the ratings fantastic –
many pretended not to watch while,
trying to find an excuse to watch.

The host was plump and complacent, literally and figuratively
genial –
except obvious dis -chemistry with one panel member
eventually, two lines must intersect
a quiet afternoon, nothing controversial until
the submitter has been reading Cosmopolitan and of a new type of orgasm –
the descriptor cannot yet be said out loud.
The host with a grin to make Jack Nicholson proud
turns to the least favoured
and asks if she would like to answer
“ good God,” she proffered
“ in this day and age do people still have orgasms.”