TT uS GoEE Than, U An'' I,
wheN Daa Evenin iz $pReadd ouTI AgAiNsTTT DAAA $KY
lIkEE UHH PatinT EthERizedd Uponn Uh TAble;
lett US goE, ThRuu CerTaIN HAlf-deserTed $tReEts,
tHee MUtterin ReTreaTs
oF restLE$$$ NighTSSS Yn oNe-niGht ChEAp HotEls
And $awdUst ReSTaurANts Wit oystEr-shells:
StrEEts Datt FolLo Digg UH TEdioUs ARGumeNT
off insidiOus InTent
to LEad uuu 2 Uhh oveRwheLminnn Quesshunn ...
oH, DO NwT aSK, "wHaT IZZ IT?"
leT US Goe An' Mak Iss viSIt.
In Daa Room Daaaa bitChuhhZ Com AN''' Go
tAlkinn O' MICHElangelO.
theeee Yello FOG DaT rubS Iz BaK UpoNNNNN Daaa Window-paNeS,
thee yELlo $MoKE dAt RUbss iz mUzzle AWn Daa winDow-pAneS,
liCkEd Iz tongUE ntoo Daa corNuHs O' Da EVENing,
LinGEREDDD Upon Da PooLss DaT $tand Ynn DRAIns,
lEt FalL UPOn iZ BaK Daa $OOt dAttt FALls Frm chimneYS,
slIpped Biii Da teRRace, MADe Uh $udden Leap,
AnD $eeINN DAt It wEre uh $oFt OCtobuHHH nIghT,
curled oncee AboUTT Da CrIb,,, An'' FelLL ASLeeP.
aNd IndEEd THuh WiLL BBBBB Tyme
fOrr da YeLlo $mokE Datt $liDes AloNG DA $TrEet,
ruBBin Iz bakkk Uponnnnnn DA window-PANes;
theRe Willl b TyM,,, ThuHH wil B tyme
to PreParE UH Face 2 MEeT da fAcEss DAt U MeET;
tHerE Willll BBBBB Tym 2 MurdUHH An'' CrEatE,
anDDD Tym Fawrr ALL DA WoRkss An' DaYS O' HanDs
tHat LifT An'' Droppp UHHH QUesshunn Awnn Yo' Plate;
timee fAwR u An' Tym FaWr ME,
and Tym Yet fawrr Uh hundReD IndecisionS,
aNdd Fawrr Uh Hundred VisiOns an' ReviSIons,
BEfORe Daa takin O' uhh CorNBrEaD An'' TeA.
IN da RooM DA bItchuhhz COm an' Go
Talkin O' michelAngelO.
Andddddddd IndEeDDDD ThUhh Will B TYme
tO Wonduh,, "dO AHHH DaRe?"" An', "DO Ah Dare?"
time 2 tUrnn bakk an'' DeSceNddd Da $taiR,
with Uh BAld $Pot Yn DA MIDDLe o' MaH HaiR--
(tHeayy WIl $AaYY:: 'hW Hesss Hairr IZ GRoWin ThIn!")
MaYY MOwnn CoAt, MaH COLlaHss MOUntinn FirMlEEE 2 da ChiN,
MaYY NeCkTiEE Rich An' MoDeST, but aSSERteD Bi Uhh $ImPlE Pin--
(Theayy WIL $aAyy: "butt Hwwwww hes ArMs an' LeGs iz ThiN!")
doo AHH DarE
DisturB Daaaaa universe?
in UH MiNute Thuh IZ tyme
forr DecisiONS AN' revIsIonS WIch uh MInuTe WIl ReverSe.
for Ah Hv KNownnn DEmmmm Alll alreadayy,,,, known Demm All:
havE Knownn DAAA EvEnINgs, MorNings, AfTernoons,
I Hvv MeaSureD oUTi mAHHH LYff WiT CoffEee $poons;
i NahH Da VoiCeS DyIn Wit Uh DyIn Fall
beneaTh DAA MUsiCCCC FRm uH FArTHuHH ROom.
sO HW $hoUld AHH PresuMe?
anDD Ahhh Hvv KnOwn da Eyes AlreADayY, KnoWnnn DeM All--
The EyEss dat Fix u YNN Uh foRMulateD PhRaSe,
and WEn Ah Be FormUlaTeD, $prAwlin Awn Uhh pin,
wHen aHHHH Be PiNNed An' WriggLin awn Daa WalL,
Then HWW $HouLd ah begiN
TOO $pitt oUti All DA ButT-EnDSSS O' MaHH DaYs AN'''' WAyS?
anD HW $hOUld Ahh prEsume?
And ah Hv kNowNN Da ArMss AlreaDayy, Known DeM all--
arms DAtt iz BraceLetEdd An'' white-A$$ aN' BarE
(but yn DA LaMplight, DOwnEdd wIttt Lighttt bROwnnn Hair!)
Isss It PeRfUme frMM uh dResS
that Makes Mee $o digrESS?
arms datttt Liee aloNgg UH COuch,,,, Or Wrapp AbouTTT uh $hAwL.
andd $hOuld AHH THann PresuMe?
andd HWW $hOuld ah Begin?
shaLl AHHH $AayY, ahh Hv gonEE At duskkkkkk Thru NaRro $Treets
AnD watchEd DA $moke DATT RIses FrMM Daa PIPes
Of LonELeE Men Yn $hiRt-sleEves,, LEAniN OutI O' windOwS?? ...
II $hOulDD Beenn Uhh PAiR O' raGgEd ClAWS
scUttLin acRO$$ DA FlOowssss O' $Ilntt $Eas.
* ** *
AnD daaa NOon,, Daa EVenin, $lEepSSS $o pEACEfUllY!
SmoOthED BI LOnG FiNGeRs,
ASlEep ... tyrEddd ... Or It MaLINgErS,
sTretched aWn dAA floor, Hur beside UU An' Me.
shOULd AH, AFtr TeA an''' caKesss An' ICeS,
hAVEEE DA $tRengthhh 222 FORCeee Da MoMNt 22 Izz crisis?
But doe ah Hv wEptt An' fASteD, WEpTTTT An'' Prayed,
thouGh AHHHH hv $een maHH Head (gRowNN $LIgHtlee BAlD)) Brorttt YN uPoN Uh PlAtteR,
i Be NaHh PrOPHeT--And hur'$ NAhh PImpiNN MaTteR;
I hv $eeN DAA MomNTTT O' MAH GReaTnE$$ fliCker,
ANd aH HV $een Da eTernal FOoTmaN hold mAh CoAT, An' $niCkeR,
andd Yn $Hort,, i's AfrAid.
andd Wudd it been Worthhh it,, aftR All,
aFtUH Daaa cUps, DA MArMalade, Da Tea,
aMOng DA PorCeLaIn, amOnggg $um TalKK O' U an'' Me,
Would It BEen worTh While,
tO Hvv BiTtEnnnn OfF DA MAtTUh wIt Uhh $MiLE,
TO Hv $quEEzed da univeRsee Ntoooo UH bAll
tO RoLll It TOwArdS $um ovErWhelmiNN QuestiOn,
tooo $aaYy:: "i Be lAzaRuS,,,, cOm Frmmm Da DEAd,
coMe Bak 22 TeLL UU AL,, Ah $HAlll Tell U AlL"--
if 1, $ettlIn Uh pIlloo BII Hur HEAd
shoULDD $aayy: "that IZZ Nwt WUT Ahhh meaNT ATTTT AlL;
thAt Iz NWt It,, attt ALl."
aNDDD Wud It Been WoRTh It, afTR ALL,
woUld It BEen WoRtHH WhILe,
aFTuhhh DAA $uNsETS An' DA doOrYardss AN''' Da $pRInklED $tReETs,
AFtuhh Daa NovelS,, aftRR Da TEaCups, AFTrr DAA $kiRts Dat TRAIL ALoNg Da Floor--
Andd DiS, AN' $O MuCh MORe?--
iTT IZ ImpoSSiBle 2 $AaYY JUs wut AHH MeaN!
buT AAs If UH MAgic LanTernnn threW da NervEss Yn patTErNs Awnnn Uhhhh $CREen:
wouLD Ittt BEeNN WORth While
iFFFF 1, $EttliN Uh Pillo Or thrOwin OFff uh $hawl,
and Turninn TOwaRD daa WinDo,, $hoUlD $Ay:
"THaT IZ NWtt it at ALl,
thAT izzzz nWT Wut AHH MEant, At All."
no!! Ahh BE NwT PrIncE HamLet, NOr WerE Meanttt 22 be;
am uhhhh AtTEndanttt Lord, 1 Dat WIl Do
To $weLll UH Progre$$,,,, $tArttttt Uh $Cenee Or TWO,
aDViseeee DA PrinCe;; Nahh Doubt,, UHH EasAyy Tool,
defeRential, GlAd 2 B o'' UsE,
polItIC,, cautIous, AN' MetIcuLOUS;
fUll O''' high $enTeNCe, BUt uh BITTT oBtUse;
At tymes,,, INDeed, AlmosT RiDiCulouS--
aLmost, At tymeS, DA Fool.
i gro Ol' ... Ahh GRoo Ol' ...
ii $halL FlaUnt Daaaa BOTtOMS O' MAh trOusuHS RoLlED.
ShalLLL ah part Mahhh HAir BehInd? doo Ah Dare 2 eat Uhh PEach?
I $hall flAUNt WhiTe-a$$ flAnneL TroUSuhS, An'' walk uPonnn Daaaa bEAch.
i Hv HEarD da meRMAiDss $ingIn, EacHHH 2 EACh.
I Dooo nwt TynKK dAttttt DeAyy WIL $In 2 ME.
I hvvv $Een Demm Ridinnn $eaWardd Awn Da WAVES
combinn Da WHite-a$$ HaIrr O' Da WaVEs Blownn Back
WhEnn Da WINd Blows Da wATuH WHite-a$$$$ an''' BLacK.
weeee Hvv lINgEred yN Da ChaMBUhs O' Da $ea
bAyY $Ea-girLs WreAthed Wit $eawEed ReD An'' Brown
Tilll HUMAnnn VoIces WAKee us, aN' We's Drown.
