the world just screams and falls apart


Rob Stolzer, Four Heads, 2001

house poet klipschutz weighs in on Mel Gibson’s recent Tequila Tourette’s outburst, with a short series of poems written around the time The Passion of the Christ was released. He further predicts that in about a year when this has blown over it will be announced that Gibson is starring in a remake of Gentleman's Agreement.

INQUEST INTO A TRUISM

Is Mel Gibson richer than sin?
Were Auschwitz survivors too thin?

TO MEL GIBSON IN HIS GLORY

You believe every word, it’s true, you do!

Like Yeats believed in fairies!

Like black believes in blue!

Like I believe in the Energizer Bunny!

Like Mad Max fans believe in you!

And right again! You’re right again!

(A roll! That’s two for two!)

Somebody IS coming back!

Maybe Arnold

Maybe Jesus

Or a friend of a guy in the crew—

So wait and pray and suck a big cigar

As Hutton spins his theories in a book

Action: bleeding light and burning scar

Your patsy’s good and cooked

THE PASSION OF THE ACTUARY

Where in love is the equation?
This is only an occasion,
and she only a woman.

(The odds are at my tips.)

O, but she danced for me
in all my stage-door Johnny agony—


* RIP Arthur Lee.