for
Betty
Betty
On a
scale of 1 to 10
scale of 1 to 10
the
rain falls wet
rain falls wet
Lenin’s
mummy outlasts glasnost.
mummy outlasts glasnost.
The
kingdom of cicadas rises and falls,
kingdom of cicadas rises and falls,
on a
scale of 1 to 10
scale of 1 to 10
our
caves are brighter now and less dank
caves are brighter now and less dank
diner
coffee keeps getting better
coffee keeps getting better
waitresses
get older and blonder
get older and blonder
and
I don’t know for sure where all this goes
I don’t know for sure where all this goes
Nero
Wolfe would call it amphigory,
Wolfe would call it amphigory,
nonsense
verse, nonsense with numbers,
verse, nonsense with numbers,
on a
scale of 1 to 10
scale of 1 to 10
I’ve
hardly begun
hardly begun
the
muddy Orinoco impregnates the sea,
muddy Orinoco impregnates the sea,
the
Homestead Act is far away
Homestead Act is far away
but
the prairies are still there
the prairies are still there
people
I knew got acres in Alaska
I knew got acres in Alaska
even
in the 1950s — ah,
in the 1950s — ah,
there’s
a number at last, or four of them,
a number at last, or four of them,
all
of them but one on a scale of 1 to 10
of them but one on a scale of 1 to 10
and
that one was none
that one was none
so
on a scale of 1 to 10
on a scale of 1 to 10
the
world has not even yet begun
world has not even yet begun
and
all the pizza parlors and battleships
all the pizza parlors and battleships
are
just illusions and I’m beginning
just illusions and I’m beginning
(speaking
of beginnings)
of beginnings)
to
wonder about me,
wonder about me,
on a
scale of 1 to 10 am I here yet,
scale of 1 to 10 am I here yet,
is
there anyone behind this noise you hear,
there anyone behind this noise you hear,
people
buzzing about the cicadas, poor things,
buzzing about the cicadas, poor things,
they
don’t even exist on a scale of 1 to 10,
don’t even exist on a scale of 1 to 10,
only
André Breton has got their number,
André Breton has got their number,
Arcane
17 from
long ago Gaspé, and Canada,
17 from
long ago Gaspé, and Canada,
what
is Canada on a scale of 1 to 10,
is Canada on a scale of 1 to 10,
and
shall I count the ways,
shall I count the ways,
let
alone Massachusetts?
alone Massachusetts?
On a
scale of 1 to 10
scale of 1 to 10
pain
for instance is usually at zero or eleven
for instance is usually at zero or eleven
but
pleasure measures
pleasure measures
itself
meekly, how rarely joys
meekly, how rarely joys
or
even blisses
even blisses
get
past 8 or 9,
past 8 or 9,
and
from what we read in the Bible
from what we read in the Bible
heaven
doesn’t even get to 7,
doesn’t even get to 7,
all
those feathers, all that
those feathers, all that
stone-age
music on tin harps.
music on tin harps.
But where
was I on a scale of 1 to 10,
was I on a scale of 1 to 10,
was
I a pirate was I a priest,
I a pirate was I a priest,
all
nouns are 10 all verbs are maybe
nouns are 10 all verbs are maybe
depending
on who’s looking,
on who’s looking,
on
who’s talking,
who’s talking,
and
who is listening?
who is listening?
On a
scale of 1 to 10
scale of 1 to 10
is
it you or is it him,
it you or is it him,
the
man in the moon, the woman in the wind
man in the moon, the woman in the wind
or
is it window, on a scale
is it window, on a scale
of 1
to 10 is it even now yet,
to 10 is it even now yet,
this
bright day I’m trying to believe
bright day I’m trying to believe
all
the numbers scattered round my feet,
the numbers scattered round my feet,
birds
chasing beetles, shadows chasing sun,
chasing beetles, shadows chasing sun,
on a
scale of 1 to 10
scale of 1 to 10
am I
even me?
even me?
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