Questa è assolutamente da non credere. Abbattei un alce, un giorno. Andavo a caccia, su, verso il confine col Canada, e abbattei un alce. Lo lego al parafango, e via. Me ne torno a New York, sull'autostrada. Però non mi ero accorto che l'avevo colpito di striscio: l'alce era solo tramortito. Alle porte di New York comincia a riprendere conoscenza. Eccomi dunque a viaggiare con un alce vivo sul parafango, laddove c'è una legge nello Stato di New York che lo vieta espressamente - di viaggiare con un alce vivo sul parafango - il martedì, il giovedì e il sabato. Vengo preso dal panico.
Allora mi sovviene che un mio amico dà una festa in costume, quella sera. Prendo una decisione: vado e ci porto l'alce. L'imbuco e me ne lavo le mani. Detto e fatto. Arrivo e busso alla porta con l'alce appresso. Il padrone di casa ci accoglie sulla soglia. "Ciao", gli faccio, "conosci i Solomon?". Entriamo. L'alce socializza subito. Non se la cava mica male. Tanto più che un tale cerca, con una certa insistenza, di vendergli una polizza d'assicurazione.
A mezzanotte c'è la premiazione per i costumi più belli. Vincono il primo premio i coniugi Berkowitz, travestiti da alce. L'alce arriva secondo. Come monta su tutte le furie! Lui e i coniugi Berkowitz si prendono a cornate, lì, in salotto. Si tramortiscono a vicenda.
Ecco, dico fra me, il momento opportuno. Acchiappo l'alce, lo lego al parafango e via - torno nei boschi. Sennonché ho agguantato i coniugi Berkowitz. Ed eccomi a viaggiare con due ebrei sul parafango. Laddove vige una legge nello Stato di New York, per cui ciò è severamente vietato il martedì, il giovedì e soprattutto il sabato...
La mattina seguente, i coniugi Berkowitz si risvegliano nel bosco in costume da alce. Di lì a poco il consorte viene abbattuto, imbalsamato ed esposto, come trofeo di caccia, al Circolo Atletico di New York. È da ridere, veramente, perché a quel club non sono ammessi gli ebrei.
Are we supposed to be or not to be
said the angel to the Queen
I lift my skirt when Voltaire turns
as he speaks his mouth full of garlic
white yes white
misfortune of us two
he told you to be free
and you obeyed
we have to decide which is important
a war we never see
or a street so black that babies die
a system and a theory
or our wish to be free
to organise and analyse
and at the end realise
that nowbody knows
if it really happened
On my first day back my first day back in town
My first day my first day back in town
The clouds up above they were humming our song
Humming humming our song
My biggest fear is if I let you go
You'll come and get me in my sleep
My biggest fear is if I let you go
You'll come and get me in my sleep
I set my course sailed away from shore
Steady steady as she goes
A crash in the night two worlds collide
But when two worlds collide no one survives no one survives and
The reddest of reds the bluest of blues
The saddest of songs I'll sing for you and
My biggest fear is if I let you go
You'll come and get me in my sleep
My biggest fear is if I let you go
You'll come and get me in my sleepgiving into love and sharing my time
letting someone into my misery
i told it all step by step
how i landed on the island
and how i swam across the sea
and it crosses my mind
that i may wake to a knife in me
no more breath in my hair
or ladies' underwear
tossed up over the alarm clock
blood dripping from the bed
to a neatly written poem
a heartfelt last line reading
there is no more mystery
is it going to happen my love
it's all in my head she said
morning after nightmare
you're building a wall she said
higher than the both of us
so try living life
instead of hiding in the bedroom
show me a smile
and i'll promise not to leave you
it happened under a rainy cloud
passing through the dark south
we went into a big house
and slept in a small bed
i didn't know you then
as well as you of me
we talked of our sad lives
and we went off separately
i found your overseas souvenirs
holiday greeting cards
and some long forgotten high school fears
it's all in my head i said
banging a piano
i've not been so alone i thought
since kicking in the womb
i drank so much tea
i wrote my letters in kanji
around the block i walked and walked
pretending you were with me
not wanting to die out here
without you
the hurting never ends
like birthdays and old friends
we forget what is flesh blood and bone is human
turning phone lines to airlines
unwilling to face
the love is found on the inside not the outside
and like a medicine bottle
in the cabinet i'll keep you
and like a medicine bottle
in my hand i will hold you
and swallow you slowly
as to last me a lifetime
without holding too tight
i do not want to lose
the thrill that it gives me
to look out from my window
and scowl at the houses
from my world in the bedroom
it's all in his head she read
in her girlfriend's self-help book
it's all his own making
a war with himself
like two sides of a wall
that separates two countries
he shuts out the world
and wants only to love you
not wanting to die out here
without you