Wine Ease. Electronic Japanese Sleeze. Bourgeoisie Dirty Knees

Four poems by Paul Beatty.

What a Pity, What a Shame

went to hear marion williams
sing the gospel yesterday

she was singin so hard

I almost slipped up
and let jesus into my heart


Mickey Mouse Build A House

don't you ever feel
like in the game of life

you was the last motherfucker to say

NOT IT!


Dib Dab

smooth as....

a baby nicholas brother
tap dancin in a porcelain tub
mr bubble suds
aye que lindo palms filled
with coca butter lotion

smooth as...

michael jordan
in the middle of his fifth
ariborne freeze frame pump fake
a funky millionaire marionette
pissin on physics
his glossy fresh out of the pacific
sea lion brown skin limbs
draped in 8th century heian kimono silk

smooth as...

sarah vaughn
holdin a note dipped in bronze
spit shined with a lonely bootblacks jukebox drool
buffed with chamois cloth and heart ache

smooth as...

tap beer after midnight mass

smooth as...

wilma rudolph haulin ass through rome
long tennessee tigerbelle strides
walkin down gossamer winged myths
busted shakles in her wake
1960 runaway

smooth as...

an eric dolphy jazz workshopped
alto free swinging lead
that lets mingus know
where he can shove that bow
if he dont ease up pluckin pizzicato
over his solo

smooth as...

billy dee williams: nevermind

smooth as...

lady kung fu
flyin roof to roof
dealing five finger drunken monkey style tiger fisted death
to the imperialist aggressors
spinning heel roundhouse
hong kong blacklot snap kick sound effects
a buttlength ponytail
trailing the action with a mind of its own

smooth as...

the first latin black korean
national hockey league offensive superstar
center ice crossovers
one hand on the stick
blue line breakaway
blastin a drive high and tight
stick side
red light and siren

smooth as...

granddads 30 year old
one sunday a month
white patent leather shoes
ones he wears with his lucky powder blue slacks
when he takes you to the track
santa anita belmont yonkers
gives you two disability dollars a race
and tells you to bet trifecta
on the horses with names you like

smooth as...

a cab calloway blip blap big band stikkly tat riff
rolling over his process
from front to back
sliding on its knees
down to the greased part
of a geechee ghetto trickster in full regalia

smooth as fuck


This Side Up

on the corner
138th and st. nick
i caught america with her panties down
peeped under her dress
and saw a cardboard one person shantytown