Many Happy Returns

TO DICK GALLUP

It’s a great pleasure to
wake “up”
mid-afternoon
2 o’clock
and if thy stomach think not
no matter . . .
because
the living
“it’s easy”
you splash the face &
back of the neck
swig Pepsi
& drape the bent frame in something
“blue for going out”
. . .
you might smoke a little pot, even
or take a pill
or two pills.
(the pleasures of prosperity
tho they are only bonuses
really
and neither necessary nor not).
& then:
poof!
. . .
Puerto-Rican girls are terrific!
you have to smile but you don’t
touch, you haven’t eaten
yet, & you’re too young
to die . . .

No, I’m only kidding!
Who on earth would kill
for love? (Who wouldn’t?)

Joanne & Jack
will feed you
today
because
Anne & Lewis are
“on the wing” as
but not like
always . . .

Michael is driving a hard bargain
himself
to San Francisco . . .

&
Pete & Linda
& Katie and George,
Emilio, Elio and Paul
have gone to Maine . . .

Everyone, it seems, is somewhere else.
None are lost, tho. At least,
we aren’t!
(gem’s spa: corner of 2nd Avenue &
Saint Mark’s Place)

I’m right here
sunlight opening up the sidewalk,
opening up today’s first black&white,
& I’m about to be
born again thinking of you