MR 5202 Jack Spicer

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Abner DoubledayInventor of Baseball

and First American Presidentof the Theosophical Society

byjack spicer

for major general

© by the Literary Estate of Jack SpicerPeter Gizzi & Kevin Killian

These poems from circa summer 1961 have not previously been published and are from

the Jack Spicer Archive at The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley.

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Contents

Without A Period At The End Quondam et Futurus Mary Murphy’s Chowder Concerning the Future of American Poetry II Scheme Possession Friday Or Saturday Exercise


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252

THE MASSACHUSETTS REVIEW

Without A Period At The End

Sorrier for themselvesThose are that aren’t thereDead Certain. The curtainOf light dazzles all the airWe are free, we are one, we have hadMotion


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253

JACK

SPICER

Quondam et Futurus

Arthur’s body is buried out thereUnder two stone of rockA new aestheticWhat is not willed in a poemWill riseCasting off each stone.KingOnce and futureThemRocks.


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254


Mary Murphy’s Chowder

What it means, of course, is millions of bridgesBuilt across a world where you would never know itA sham. Man does not believe these thingsThe Krazy Kat howls at the edge of the bunker. The world’s dead and Hitler’s going with it. The time’sRipe.


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255

JACK

SPICER

Concerning the Future of American Poetry II

My grandmother always told meThat when you get in a fight with a dog turdYou only get shit on your fingers.


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256


Scheme

Crap of the oceanDisplayedOn every piece of beachThey have to go on.Timber with a soft sound of itPieces of crab. TheSea shells.YellsIn front of the ocean.No.Disappearing.“No.”


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257

JACK

SPICER

Possession

A small French houndBound to a time traveler—The soul in a boat.


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258


Friday Or Saturday

After all nothing is very surprising to you if you’re locked up with itYou, hypocrite lectureI don’t mean to call you my brother because you aren’tA mere semblance of fleshHypocrite lecture, loveIs an idiot daughter of memoryBorn of a single womb. MurderIs what I mean.Not lampshade.But wristwatchOr something round the wrist.


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259

JACK

SPICER

Exercise

Is it the word “dream” that causes so much trouble?Dreams are there like clouds floating endlessly in an except for them blue skyOver the rimIs it the word, dream, that causes trouble?The clouds move in such un- significanceThe winds blowing thereThatFlag.

the massachusetts reviewsummer 2011

printed by the studley press, dalton, massachusetts

MR 5202 Jack Spicer

Documents

Transcript of MR 5202 Jack Spicer