by Larry Fagin

     Sleep faster, we need the pillows. Yiddish proverb

I went for a shvitz but it didn’t solve my problems (old age, sickness, death). I
hung around with young people but nothing rubbed off. I came to the point but
found only the moot. What are you doing New Year’s Eve ?  Better I outlive you
(pl.) Who would manage the details — design, production, promotion,
distribution — you ?  This mechanical life. Already the work (casein on wood)
looks sure of itself. Get next to it. Cement not what it’s cracked up. They’re on
their way, the judges. Speak responsibly. Do we need a premise ?  Look for one,
anything lying around will do. Simply put a little in your hair.

by Larry Fagin

You haven’t lost the desire to reason effectively. You still care about what’s
published under your name, you. And you’re skeptical about sightings and
abductions —but in your heart you’re on “their” side. $400 is missing from your
sock drawer.
It was for new things, new socks. Go ahead, make a show. But
it’s a lame metaphor. Better stay home with your canary. Run ’em off at the mouth.
The country is hung at both ends. You can be
a part of that. In fact without you there’d be everyone else, right ?  Certainly I
would be dead. At an unknown time, closed and dark. Open your eyelids, it’s the
middle of the light. You’re the exterior, tear yourself away.

by Larry Fagin

“Nothing whatever, it arises as everything.” Lemon zest.  I can’t seem to keep
quiet which is a pity because you really need to rest. If you could run you would
call running a rest period. There’s no way out so go deeper in. Spot what don’t
fit, bombs in fake rocks. I’ve got some paintings of dogs playing cards that might
be valuable. Who’s in the room ?  Just Bill. Bill. I mean how many Bills can
there be ?  Try not to think about generations, individuals, prizes and awards,
movements, tendencies, phalanxes, growth, major or minor status, periods,
phases, context, comparisons, hierarchies, etc. If only you’d stop being yourself,
get it over with, the way the greats do. Care for some gold ?  Poured in a cup ?  I
can’t worry about you (or can I ?)  It’s a kind of banked fate.  Sure the hills have
eyes, assholes too. I’ll see you on the other side. But you can’t climb, can you ?

by David Antin

the wave betrays the wind
thirst teaches you the value of water
if you have nothing you’ve got nothing to lose
the squash calls the melon a cucumber
a small hole can sink a big ship
the road from the peak can only lead to the valley
its easier for a lake to become a swamp than for a swamp to
     become a lake
you can soften steel but it takes a lot of heat
0experience may be a good teacher but its not a governess
when the river overflows, the last raindrop thinks it caused the flood
the sea swallows the wise as well as the fool
hope has distinguished relatives
if you’re looking for a lasting peace try a cemetery
a man with bad luck can drown in a teaspoon of water
looking at a broken pot won’t put it together again
what good is a loaf of bread when thousands are starving
the great volga began as a little stream
don’t become a violin if you don’t want to be stroked
what you tell the volga today the volga will tell the caspian tomorrow
its not the net that counts, it’s the fish
its easier for a dog to learn to howl than for a wolf to learn to bark
most cavalry songs are sung by infantrymen
a wolf without teeth is still a wolf
anyone can die without special training