Showing posts with label decency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decency. Show all posts

12/2/17

Do the Dead Know What Time It Is? - Kenneth Patchen

The old guy put down his beer.
Son, he said,
        (and a girl came over to the table where we were: 
        asked us by Jack Christ to buy her a drink.)
Son, I am going to tell you something
The like of which nobody ever was told.
         (and the girl said, I've got nothing on tonight;
        how about you and me going to your place?)
I am going to tell you the story of my mother's
Meeting with God.
         (and I whispered to the girl: I don't have a room,
        but, maybe . . .)
She walked up to where the top of the world is
And He came right up to her and said
So at last you've come home.
         (but maybe what?
        I thought I'd like to stay here and talk to you.)
My mother started to cry and God
Put His arms around her.
         (about what?
        Oh, just talk . . . we'll find something.)
She said it was like a fog coming over her face
And light was everywhere and a soft voice saying
You can stop crying now.
         (what can we talk about that will take all night?
        and I said that I didn't know.)
You can stop crying now.