Bookstore Reading, Telegraph Ave, Berkeley
by Jerry Ratch
There's someone in the audience who is immolating himself
Cutting his own leg over and over with a pen knife
And groaning: “Oh God, oh God”
And all I can think from up at the podium is
This guy must absolutely hate these poems
I'm reading from Puppet X, the first time in public
My long 60 page
Admittedly somewhat depressing
But very funny (if you give it a chance)
Book-length series of poems
This guy must be ready to retch
Right in the bookstore
He hates it so much
This is all I can think
I am mortified
I didn't think it was
That bad
This is Berkeley, mind you, 1973, Telegraph Ave
Anything can happen, as the war in Viet Nam
Keeps raging on
And our brains are getting
Taken away on stretchers
Every day
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Author's Note
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Well done
I was thinking it was hilarious, until I got to the end. Cleverly presented. *
The man was probably tripping, given that it was Berkeley 1973. You should not have taken it personally. *
I've given thousands of performance, but never to my knowledge with a "cutter" in the audience. You describe it well and survived if slightly shaken. *
Enjoyed.