[ALL THOSE SHIPS THAT NEVER SAILED]

All those ships that never sailed
The ones with their seacocks open
That were scuttled in their stalls…
Today I bring them back
Huge and intransitory
And let them sail
Forever.

Al l those flowers that you never grew–
that y ou wanted to grow
The ones that were plowed under
ground in the mud–
Today I bring them back and let you grow them
Foever.

All those wars and truces
Dancing down these years–
All in three flag-swept days
Rejected meaning of God–

My body once covered with beauty
Is now a museum of betrayal.
This part remembered because of that one’s touch
This part remembered for that one’s kiss–
Today I bring it back
And let you live forever.

I breathe a breathless I love you
and move you
Forever.

Remove the snakes from Moses’ arm …
And someday the Jewish queen will dance
Down the street with the dogs
And make every Jew
Her lover.

SONG OF THE BROKEN GIRAFFE

SONG OF THE BROKEN GIRAFFE
By Bob Kaufman

I have heard the song of the broken giraffe, and sung it . . .
the frozen sun has browned me to a rumor and slanted my
navel.
I have consorted with vulgar crocodiles on banks
of lewd rivers.
Yes, it is true, God has become bad, from centuries
of frustrations.
When I think of all the girls I never made love to, I am socked.
Every time they elect me President, I hide in the bathroom.
When you come, bring me a tourniquet for our wounded moon.
In an emergency, I can rearrange your beautiful wreckage
With broken giraffe demolitions and lovely colorless
explosions.
Come, you sexy Ferris Wheel, ignore my illustrated
bathing suit.
Don’t laugh at my ignorance, I may be a great
bullfighter, ole’.
I wanted to compose a great mass, but I couldn’t kneel
properly.
Yes, they did tempt me with airplanes, but I wouldn’t bite,
no sir-ee.
Unable to avoid hospitals, I still refused to become a doctor.
They continued to throw reason, but I failed
in the clutch again.
It’s true, I no longer use my family as a frame of reference.
The clothing they gave me was smart but not good
for train wrecks.
I continue to love despite all the traffic-light difficulties.
In most cases, a sane hermit will beat a good big man.
We waited in vain for the forest fire, but the bus was late.
All night we baked the government into a big mud pie.
Not one century passed without Shakespeare calling me
dirty names.
With all those syllables, we couldn’t write a cheerful
death notice.
The man said we could have a birthday party if we
surrendered.
Their soldiers refused to wear evening downs on guard duty.
Those men in the basement are former breakfast-food
salesman.
We had a choice of fantasies, but naturally we were greedy.
If they leave me alone, I will become a fallen-leaf tycoon
Mater Peter Rabbit will forgive us our trespasses;
one never knows.
At the moment of truth we were dancing a minuet and
missed out.
After the nuns went home, the Pope through a big masquerade
ball.
When the hemlock turned rancid, I returned the cup at once,
yes sir-ee.
Hurry, the barometer’s falling; bring a storm before
it’s too late.
We share reserve evenings for murder or television,
whichever is convenient.
Yes, beyond a shadow of a double, Rumpelstiltskin
was emotionally disturbed.

THE NIGHT THAT LORCA COMES

THE NIGHT THAT LORCA COMES
SHALL BE A STRANGE NIGHT IN THE
SOUTH, IT SHALL BE THE TIME WHEN NEGROES LEAVE THE
SOUTH
FOREVER,
GREEN TRAINS SHALL ARRIVE
FROM RED PLANET MARS
CRACKLING BLUENESS SHALL SEND TOOTH-COVERED CARS FOR
THEM
TO LEAVE IN, TO GO INTO
THE NORTH FOREVER, AND I SEE MY LITTLE GIRL MOTHER
AGAIN WITH HER CROSS THAT
IS NOT BURNING, HER SKIRTS
OF BLACK, OF ALL COLORS, HER AURA
OF FAMILIARITY, THE SOUTH SHALL WEEP
BITTER TEARS TO NO AVAIL,
THE NEGROES HAVE GONE
INTO CRACKLING BLUENESS.
CRISPUS ATTUCKS SHALL ARRIVE WITH THE BOSTOM
COMMONS, TO TAKE ELISSI LANDI
NORTH, CRISPUS ATTACKS SHALL
BE LAYING ON BOSTON COMMONS,
ELISSI LANDI SHALL FEEL ALIVE
AGAIN. I SHALL CALL HER NAME
AS SHE STEPS ON TO THE BOSTON
COMMONS, AND FLIES NORTH FOREVER,
LINCOLN SHALL BE THERE,
TO SEE THEM LEAVE THE
SOUTH FOREVER, ELISSI LANDI, SHE WILL BE
GREEN,
THE WHITE SOUTH SHALL GATHER AT
PRESERVATION HALL.