you don’t refuse to breath do you
From Lunch Poems, by Frank O’Hara:
Song (Is it dirty)
Is it dirty
does it look dirty
that’s what you think of in the citydoes it just seem dirty
that’s what you think of in the city
you don’t refuse to breathe do yousomeone comes along with a very bad character
he seems attractive. is he really. yes very
he’s attractive as his character is bad. is it. yesthat’s what you think of in the city
run your finger along your no-moss mind
that’s not a thought that’s sootand you take a lot of dirt off someone
is the character less bad. no. it improves constantly
you don’t refuse to breathe do you
Going to read this poem to myself every day for the next week or so as a meditation.
[ via Brain Pickings ]
It’s a powerful poem. I wonder about the character of the “improvement” – our speaker declares we’re holding our breath. Do we want dirt so as to remove more dirt?