A Terror is More Certain by Bob Kaufman
Production and Sound Design by Kevin Seaman A Terror is More Certain . . . BY BOB KAUFMAN A terror is more certain than all the rare desirable popular songs Iknow, than even now when all of my myths have become . . . , a walkaround in black shiny galoshes a carry dirty laundry to a fro, a readgreat books a don’t know criminals intimately, a publish fat books ofthe month a have wifeys that are lousy in bed a never realize howbad my writing is because i am poor a symbolize myself.A certain desirable is more terror to me than all that’s rare. Howcome they don’t give an academic award to all the movie stars thatdie? they’re still acting, ain’t they? even if they are dead, it shouldnot be held against them, after all they still have the public on theirside, how would you like to be a dead movie star a have people sit-ting on your grave?A rare me is more certain than desirable, that’s all the terror, thereare too many basketball players in this world a too much progressin the burial industry, lets have old fashioned funerals a standaround a forgive a borrow wet handkerchiefs, a sneak out fordrinks a help load the guy into the wagon, a feel sad a make adate with the widow a believe we don’t see all of the people sink-ing into the subways going to basketball games a designing babysitters at Madison Square Garden.A certain me is desirable, what is so rare as air in a Poem, why can’ti write a foreign movie like all the other boys my age, I confess to allthe crimes committed during the month of April, but not to savemy own neck, which is adjustable, a telescopes into any size noose,I’m doing it to save Gertrude Stein’s reputation, who is secretlyflying model airplanes for the underground railroad stern gang ofoz, a is the favorite in all the bouts . . . not officially opened yetHolland tunnel is the one who writes untrue phone numbers.A desirable poem is more rare than rare, a terror is certain, whowants to be a poet a work a twenty four hour shift, they never askyou first, who wants to listen to the radiator play string quartets allnight. I want to be allowed not to be, suppose a man wants toswing on the kiddie swings, should people be allowed to stab himwith queer looks a drag him off to bed a its no fun on top of alady when her hair is full of shiny little machines a your assreflected in that television screen, who wants to be a poet if youfuck on t.v. a all those cowboys watching.