Benny the Jazz
with agony and torture accept my gratitude
with suffering and persecution accept my thankfulness
with pain and anguish accept my reward
with tenderness and torment accept my admiration
curses are
more generous
more merciful
more forgiving and
more useful than blessings
in my grave i had moist erotic dreams
in my ascension you were my escort
in life you were my companion
in sleep you crucified me
in darkness the floor and ceiling spun around me
in distress worms dug into my soul
in water i drowned from the drink of the ghetto
in fire my throat burned hot jazz
you were
the nauseating mist floating above the fog
the toilet seat the cotton and the spoon
the graveyard and crypt
the phone booth the lock and key to the car
in the hour of death's delirium
you did not forsake me and you did not
desert me nor did you
abandon me at the bus station
in the hour of my return
you did not ignore the
blind dog vomiting at your feet nor did you
punish him for sleeping or
destroy him for eating or
hate him for jumping off the cliff
to his death
