THE FOURTH by Bill Kushner

THE FOURTH by Bill Kushner

When all of New York's spread before you
Like a blue tattoo & he would kill you
Ahh if you look: all steel & concrete & hardon
Oops! "you lookin good!" "yeah & I'm gonna fine me
A good time!" so you go down on all that town
With a song in your heart & hot pants as tight as forever
& your very soul that funny thing you lost
In a somewhere fog: for this is America & you are free
& you are a fag there I said it at last it's out
A bomb explodes that's you too & life goes on as always
It's a thing one does at night between a truck
& a beautiful boy climbs up on a flagpole
& waves goodbye disappears into what light
As you wait sullen like some unconquered land trembling bride


~7/4/85

From "Head" by Bill Kushner