Background: This is simply a creative outburst on my part. I have divided it into three sections. This is section 1.
Prologue:
“A little learning is a
dangerous thing; Drink deep…”
-
Alexander Pope in An Essay on Criticism.
Begin:
Direction,
Direction, Direction
I
say It begins!
The
life
The art
The
question of direction
Where
to go? Where to go?
Another
solemn sore boot stranded
Not
two
But one
Lonely,
emphatic, direction
I
hope.
A
higher one, smiling with direction, commissioned this:
A sonnet to be done.
A Commission indeed.
Yes.
Yes.
Delineation for my dog.
The
art atavistic art
A Sonnet Named Ulysses
S. Grant
-written
by the odes of woe in buckets of ears inside the remembrance of Shakespeares
Hiram, a dog, if you will, please
do come, yes.
Grant, mighty, yes, dog here,
come, Ulysses.
Fear the old right, yes, a
general I guess.
Mexico, Polk onward, a field of
bees.
A war! Yes, a war! Grant, to
glory be!
Ulysses, the epoch! Yes Sir! Look
out!
Sirens scream. Wax ears, yes the
South’s plea.
A promotion! Cigars. Yes, look a
rout!
Joseph Hooker. Mr. F. J. Hooker.
A new brigade. Yes, oh say can
you…can’t.
Chew. An end. Union, yes, a real
looker.
The North was killed. Theatre,
yes, oh Grant.
Republican. Big pockets, yes, a
dog.
Cigar, not smoked. Chew, yes, in
epilogue.
Here
at the door of the past
Ask
Don’t you forget to ask
The
question of virile importance
Look ‘em in the eye
The white eye
Floating oleaginous Pedantry
Ask,
oh ask, for art, for direction,
Oh ask
Trick? Or Treat?
Enter Hiram Grant and Samuel
Beckett.
Hiram Grant:
(Gestures) Beckett, please, take
a seat.
Beckett:
(Stolid, picks up chair. Walks
to another open chair. Pauses. Sits down in chair while still holding other
chair.) Thanks. (Pause.) Why am I here?
Hiram Grant:
(Shifts
in his own chair. Smiles.) Yes, yes. Very important. Where were your shoes
last night? Yes, yes, yes. (Mumbles.)
A dog. A direction, complete compunction.
Beckett:
(Ignores.)
Oh. (pauses.) What does one (pauses) need of (elongates the emphatic nature of “shoes”) shoes? (Pauses.) We’ve lost our rights. (Pauses).We got (pauses, then shouts) RID OF THEM. (Settles down. Calmly.) No shoes, no rights to shoes, no, no, no
shoes. No rights to shoes. No rights of shoes. No rights. No (pauses) me. (Pauses.) Nothing to be done.
Enter Godot.
Hiram Grant:
(Surprised.)
Who are (interrupted by Beckett.)
Beckett:
(Exclaims.)
Oh Godot. That was the wait of the weight of the (pauses) Oh! Godot. Yes, a banana for you old chap.
Suddenly darkness and silence.
Nothing is certain, but no one remains.
I
do say
at the end of
play a play a day
arouse the spirits of the withered
willow
It
is si ti
It
is salvation
Contains:
PETROLEUM
DISTILLIATES PRECAUTIONS: Do not store or use near heat or flame. Use only with
adequate ventilation. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN. FIRST AID TREATMENT: If
swallowed, do not induce vomiting. Call a physician or poison control center
immediately. If inhalation symptoms occur, move to fresh air. If symptoms
persist, see a physician. For further health information contact a poison
control center or call 800-222-1222.
