Monday, October 26, 2015

I Saw Nobody Coming, So I Went Instead





I missed some birthdays: Luciano Berio was born 90 years ago this past Saturday, Sofia Gubaidulina turned 84 this past Saturday, John Berryman was born 101 years ago yesterday.








DREAM SONG 76

John Berryman

Nothin very bad happen to me lately.
How you explain that? —I explain that, Mr Bones,
terms o' your bafflin odd sobriety.
Sober as man can get, no girls, no telephones,
what could happen bad to Mr Bones?
—If life is a handkerchief sandwich,

in a modesty of death I join my father
who dared so long agone leave me.
A bullet on a concrete stoop
close by a smothering southern sea
spreadeagled on an island, by my knee.
—You is from hunger, Mr Bones,

I offers you this handkerchief, now set
your left foot by my right foot,
shoulder to shoulder, all that jazz,
arm in arm, by the beautiful sea,
hum a little, Mr Bones.
—I saw nobody coming, so I went instead.



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