Joe Dolce: ‘Brokenheart’ and ‘The Memorable Order of Tin Hats’

Brokenheart

Singing in her song she died.
—Tennyson

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.
Brokenheart Syndrome.
Not blockage.
Heart stunned by adrenaline.
Left ventricle balloons out.
Named for resemblance to Japanese octopus-trap.
Chest pains, shortness of breath,
often mistaken for attack.
Death rare. Reversible.
Almost exclusive domain of women, at 90%—
Little Ann, in Where the Ferns Grow,
Lady Montague, in Romeo and Juliet,
Padme, in Star Wars.
Recently, Debbie Reynolds.
Men aren’t immune. King Lear.
Johnny Cash, four months after June.
Long-term companions follow each other,
often within weeks, sometimes hours.
Triggered by unexpected loss,
(including financial), fierce argument,
domestic violence, detection of cancer,
legal problems, natural disaster,
public speaking.

Joe Dolce

The Memorable Order of Tin Hats

A brotherhood of South African soldiers,
who fought for Australia, in Egypt,
and Gallipoli, founded by newspaperman
and cartoonist Charles Evenden (signed EVO)—
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats.

M.O.T.H. founded in ’27,
the shell-shocked, evacuated to Malta,
were hospitalized in England.
Former enemy combatants welcome—
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats.

Veterans nicknamed centres: shellholes—
Three Dice, Chilly Trench,
Ariel, Gorgeous Wrecks.
The chairman of each: an Old Bill—
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats.

True comradeship, mutual help,
sound memory, above all.
For Your Tomorrow,
We Gave Our Today—
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats.

                                                        Joe Dolce

Hælþ Blétsung

May thee be whole, uninjured, of good omen,
in helthe, sanative, free of ague, caducity, malison,
cleansed, bedward, exempt from crookback,
flux, glabriety and gyve.
Neither vexed by halt, or immedicable,
infrequented by leech, nithing, peeler, picaroon,
brabble, quidnunc, scapegrace and varlet.

Abundant in snyttrucræft and treowthe.

Translation: Health Blessing

May thee be whole, uninjured, of good omen,
in health, healed; free of fever, senility, curse,
cleansed, rested, exempt from hunchback,
dysentery, greasiness and fetter.
Neither vexed by limp, or incurable wound,
unfrequented by doctors, cowards, police, pirates,
squabbles, busybodies, rascals and knaves.

Abundant in wisdom, loyalty, truth and kindness.

                                                                Joe Dolce