To pull a part. Hear that? A part . . . to play . . . my turn to play . . . my god. I slide into the words I write—a victim of Förster’s syndrome. How could my thought have contained them? When not believing has been my business? When adding up grief, numbering loss, has been my job? I have fed too much death to the mouth and matter of my life, and so have grown up a ghost. Dough ray me faugh so law tee hee, I sang, when I had to learn the scales as a kid. Dee . . . De-composition. Dee . . . De-crees. Just sign. On the gently sloping . . . on the slotted line.
It is a German’s spoon, with a long hooked handle—like a Jew’s nose—it hangs by, and it skims the scum from the soup; it lifts off what’s obscene; it clears one’s head of unmanly sentiments; it leaves the broth both pure and resolute; it keeps the low wound clean; for we must remember that good blood is the most priceless possession of the State. tat. It is the name of a jape—this life and what I write—a jolly jest or collegiate rag, a blue-class pastime like bowling, an ideal joke, good gag, a children’s game, some youthful prank or gentlemanly gambit, clever con or hanky-panky, and here is a role for
TIME
jewel of my heart
SPACE
smile of my eye
MATTER
lie in my arms
MOTION
till Time pants by
LAW
In the Funnies
(Enter Time [as a scythe], stage left.) (Enter the Wife, stage right.)
Put part into part.
Before me now is an unopened volume of Stefan George . . . in the air the odor of boiling cabbage coming from the kitchen where Martha stirs me like a kettle.
Para. 1
1. Jews may receive only those first names which are listed in the directives of the Ministry of the Interior concerning the use of first names.
Put part upon part like a sticky stack of pans or pile of sweet cakes.
2. This provision does not apply to Jews of a foreign nationality.
Pant. Puff. Pant. As one sees them do in the comics, or in sorrowful wet dreams
Para. 2
1. If Jews should bear first names other than those permitted to Jews according to Para. 1, they must, as of Jan. 1, 1939, adopt an additional name. For males, that name shall be Israel, for females Sara.
Come apart, tight. tat.