keep ya money clean ~

at the absurd midpoint between a short life & a long life
a man of unknown origins neither rich nor poor
neither cunning nor cleaver unfit to be a metaphor
too large to be invisisible too small to be inviolable
awakes & dresses in a manner befitting a forgotten celebrity.

this is the midpoint of the story..a story remarkably like a life
a story he has refused to read & certainly failed to write
yet it is his story..his badly worded dream of regaining a tidiness of being
between a short life & a long life.

he has his breakfast..brushes his teeth..turns on the tv for companionship
says something loving to the lovely woman on the screen
puts his small gun in a jacket's inside pocket
then closes his eyes & plans his day
like a man who is watching a film about lonely angry gods
drowning in retribution ~

blues

ladies & gentlemen, sittig here,
eating & drinking & warming a chair.
feeling & thinking & drawing your breath,
who's sitting next to u..?? it may be death.

as a high-stepping blondie with eyes of blue
in the subway, on beaches, death looks at u;
& married or single or young or old,
u'll become a sugar daddy & do as you're told.

death is a g-man. u may think yourself smart,
but he'll send u to the hot-seat or plug u thru' the haart;
he may be a slow worker, but in the end
he'll get u for the crime of being born, my friend.

death as a doctor has first-class degrees;
the world is on his panel; he charges no fees;
he listens to ur chest, says--'you're breathing that's bad.
but don't worry; we'll soon see to that, my lad.'

death knocks at ur door selling real estate,
the value of which will not depreciate;
it's easy, it's convenient, it's old world. u'll sign,
wotever ur income, on the dotted line.

death as a teacher is simply grand;
the dumbest pupil can understand.
he has only one subject & that is the tomb;
but no-one ever yawns or ask to leave the room.

so whether you're standing broke in the rain,
or playing poker or drinking champagne,
death's lookin' for u, he's already on the way,
so look out for him 2-morrow or perhaps 2-day...

W.H. AUDEN _