28 July 2012

lenny bruce tattoo [draft no. 2]


there's her handwriting 
hidden faintly in the mirror.

...

i'm fat with second hand smiles
the sun gliding across your pepperbright skin
here on this coffeeshop couch 
convincing elbow high across the overfull beast

...

it's simply floating here, i can't blame anyone but myself
or maybe my mother, who first floated the thing, 
saying, "i can't blame anyone but myself." but 
i'm convinced: this is a good idea, sold to a lioness

before waking beside her 
her new sweat massaged into the mattress 
in the aura of whatever, is sold without much sell 
then buyer's remorse: this sweet thing cannot smile back.

...

"what do you mean he kissed a leper?
"what's the point in that? you kiss them
"and they fall apart."

27 July 2012

lenny bruce tattoo [draft]


there's something to be written about self-awareness
_____ i was smiling there on the coffee shop couch convincing
_____ arm slung — casually, so casually, completely casually 
_____ — casually over the back of the second hand couch and sun gliding
_____ across your skin — pepper bright 
i can't blame anyone but myself
_____ this is a good idea, sold at a lioness price
_____ today — in the aura of whatever 
_____ — is sold without much sell  
_____ buyer's remorse: this thing cannot smile back.

02 July 2012

"L'angelo del povero" [by Giuseppe Ungaretti]

L'angelo del povero

Ora che invade le oscurate menti
Piú aspra pietá del sangue e della terra,
Ora che ci misura ad ogni palpito
Il silenzio di tante ingiuste morti,

Ora si svegli l'angelo del povero,
Gentilezza superstite della'anima...

Col  gesto inestinguibile dei secoli
Discenda a capo del suo vecchio popolo,
In mezzo alle ombre...

_______________

The poor man's angel

Now that the harsher mercy of blood and earth
Fills our darkened minds,
Now that the silence of so many unjust deaths
Judges us at every heartbeat,

Now let the poor man's angel waken,
The soul's enduring gentleness...

With the undying gesture of the ages
May he alight before his ancient people,
In the midst of the shadows...

_______________

from Giuseppe Ungaretti's, Affliction, 1950
Translation: Andrew Frisardi