Yes, the issue is that I've confused HTTP_Timeout, with $POE_MODULE Timeout. I can't think of why anyone would want a random timeout on a module's internal -- when arguably all of the factors are under your control. The issue is that I wanted a timeout in POCO::Keepalive::Client not in POCO::HTTP::Client. I didn't realize I could enqueue so many requests that they would timeout before they even began transmission. Anyway, I have a doc-patch that will prevent the confusion and a code patch that will prevent POCO::Keepalive::Client from having a timeout greater than the timeout in POCO::HTTP::Client.