The Kid and friends somewhere near Lenape, Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1950


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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Dissertation of a Bigot on a Barstool


before you.
before I.
why, who and what is the wherefore?
why do the stars shine so?
don’t they know
there was war?

destructive?

yes, it destroyed all.
but the far stars...
don’t those stars know the dead?
can’t they see
where they are?

the sun is still shining, yes,
there behind that rising cloud,
the funny one of red edges,
which billows from the piles of rubble.

why, who and what is the wherefore?
through rough ruined sky.
I still see a star.

who am I?
I am I.
I was here then too,
didn’t you know?
I was that man who left the counter
when the brown man sat down,
I crossed the street to other stores
where there were no jews to buy from.

can’t they see up there?
are they away too far?

who am I?
I am I.
I was the guy who used the names well;
spic and chink and mick and dago.
I was the select guy, don’t you know?
and can’t associate with those types.

I always gave the speeches
at the neighborhood bar.

could you have joined me?
certainly! anyone’s welcome
at the local watering hole.
just one thing.  what church
do you go to?
ah yeah.
that’s fine.
they are a good righteous troop.
don’t want some other group
such as those roman dupes.

when can you come?
yesterday today tomorrow.

but wait a second,
there is another question.
where were you born?
where?
oh, that’s fine.
here in this good ol’ state.
it’s best to be native born
right in this country here
can’t be just anywhere. y’know.

wait!

just another small query.
this may sound strange,
but do you have the pure blood?
all white?
ah, all right!
we have to be careful, y’know.
a little tainted blood could mean
a stain to our station,

why, who and what is the wherefore?
those kind of people
meant for washing cars,
taking out the trash,
wiping the boot.

before you go in,
where did you stand in the last election?
registered as an independent?
well, may I ask
who you voted for?

no!

I’m sorry,
you would only clash in here.
until you learn your place.
one bad apple, y’know,
spoils the applesauce jar.

who am I?
I’m alone.
the barroom is empty.
they’ve all gone.
there is just you...just I.
and who are you?

it’s because we let the riff-raff in
that we had to fight that last war.

so there it is.
the
why, who, what and wherefore.
I tried to save the world
from those unlike we are.

before you
before I
die,
tell me what they are there for?
those lasting stars above?
don’t they know
there was war?





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