Tears in silent movies
Watching Marie Dressler address humanity
Would she hide in her room
And come back cheerful for breakfast?
Or lock her door and stare through
The window for sidestreet spies?
Listen at the keyhole for Hitlerian invisible gas?
Dream in a chair?
Or mock me in front of a mirror—alone?
Great heads—pendulous over Alice in Wonderland
A blackboard full of CAT
Went to bed exhausted
Wanting to leave the world
Said I love you—next to her arm
I would have cried
She waved, tears in her eyes
And said—why did you do this to me?
Kissed her and said—I did it for the best
I had a heart condition
Tears in silent movies Watching Marie Dressler address humanity Would she hide in her room And come back cheerful for breakfast? Or lock her door and stare through The window for sidestreet spies? Listen at the keyhole for Hitlerian invisible gas? Dream in a chair? Or mock me in front of a mirror—alone? Great heads—pendulous over Alice in Wonderland
A blackboard full of CAT Went to bed exhausted Wanting to leave the world Said I love you—next to her arm I would have cried She waved, tears in her eyes And said—why did you do this to me? Kissed her and said—I did it for the best I had a heart condition
Ginsberg (paraphrased)