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The Exquisite Corpse - A Journal of Letters and Life
Edited by Andrei Codrescu
ec chair poetick kultur anti-amthropomorphism
gallery zounds the making and unmaking of person
new economics of late capitalism
diaries and memoirs translation and her retinue
working class sweat
the corpse reads classics letters the book of revelations and epiphanies
the making and unmaking of person
Poetick_Kulchur

Four Poems
by Raymond Queneau
translated by Daniela Hurezanu & Stephen Kessler

The Water Tanks

In the middle of deserted lots
amidst the soot of the burned silks
not far from the stock market
close to the pillars of sundown
under the screen of the equinoxes
beyond the white frost of time
deep in the eye of the four corners
by the central metro station
                                  that's where the water tanks are



It's Raining

Shower shower shower shower shower shower
rain oh rain oh rain oh! oh rain oh rain oh rain!
waterdrops waterdrops waterdrops waterdrops
umbrella oh umbrella oh showerella oh!
waterumbdrops waterdropbrella
hoods capes and raincoats
the rain's so wet and the water soaks and soaks!
wet water wet water wet water wet water
and how nice nice nice it is isn't it
to have your feet soaked and your hair all wet
wet from the shower and the rain and the drops
of rainwater and of shower and with no dropbrella
to protect your feet and your wet hair
that won't curl up again won't curl up again
because of the shower because of the rain
because of the shower and the drops of rain
the waterdrops of rain and the showerdrops
unruly hair umbrellaless hair



. . .

Misery of my life and oh my miserable life
misery oh my life and life of misery
what darkness what subjects of this bitter life
life oh bitter misery, oh life of misery
darkness is this life and only misery
is solid and shadowless a crystal of light
light of misery and light of life
oh my life oh bitter light what subjects
of reason will give life a circle of misery
of strong misery like a summer crystal
misery of summers misery of life
darkness will bring me the last misery
it will be victory and strength and life
misery of my life and oh my miserable life



Materia Garrulans

the raisin and the lavender
cure for your cares stuff so shrewd
accessory doesn't say amen
anyway king flees banishment

pink carnival and virgin verb
Romanian salt as green as snow
tough carnivore to green nor salt
finally the Zouave cries for help

freedom the sailor witness bears
the proud civilian shoulders brown
the wounded heart plays Christmas songs
the snake condemns a guilty horse

stellar stud black satin dude
time never closes day or night
the blinds transform pubescent year
nor any poster sings its lice

hospital troubles pharmacy
sidewalks slick with cod liver oil
Clorox for the depot floors
iodine dressing City Hall

heart peanuts just out of reach
a wall in play about to fall
attracts an egg's filet of dog
fake weights to build a buffed-out bod

neckties made of reddish lace
drag the bottom of a ripe wheat spike
Nile or Volga washed it out
a dash of bishops in the dish

 

 

 

home archives submit black market comrads hot sites search ec chair peotick kultur anti-amthropomorphism
new economics of late capitalism gallery zounds the making and unmaking of person
diaries and memoirs translation and her retinue
the book of revelations and epiphanies working class sweat
the making and unmaking of person the corpse reads classics letters

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