Frank O'Hara — Naphtha

Ah Jean Dubuffet when you think of him doing his military service in the Eiffel Tower as a meteorologist in 1922 you know how wonderful the 20th century can be and the gaited Iroquois on the girders fierce and unflinching-footed nude as they should be slightly empty like a Sonia Delaunay there is a parable of speed somewhere behind the Indians' eyes they invented the century with their horses and their fragile backs which are dark we owe a debt to the Iroquois and to Duke Ellington for playing in the buildings when they are built we don't do much ourselves but fuck and think of the haunting Métro and the one who didn't show up there while we were waiting to become part of our century just as you can't make a hat out of steel and still wear it who wears hats anyway it is our tribe's custom to beguile how are you feeling in ancient September I am feeling like a truck on a wet highway how can you you were made in the image of god I was not I was made in the image of a sissy truck driver and Jean Dubuffet painting his cows "with a likness burst in the memory" apart from love (don't say it) I am ashamed of my century for being so entertaining but I have to smile