I saw the best minds of my generation
Sitting down, eating pizza
Watching Seinfeld,
Eating at faux-Japanese
Restaurants, riding down into the valley
Of the 6000 other hyped-up chains
Riding out, pockets empty, bellies full
With no taste on their tongues
Save disappointment.
They wandered lonely as a cloud
Now all it does it rain rain rain rain, rain
And there’s water water
Everywhere and not a drop to drink
Because everyone in the bar
Is on the beers tonight
(April is the cruellest month
On our wallets and purses)
And the shadows of waxwings
Are ignored as they dart
Inside the window panes.
Jules pipes up ‘my eyes,
My eyes have seen the coming
And going of the lord’
She sticks her tongue
Down the barman’s throat
All guttural he speaks,
‘How do I love thee?
I don’t.’
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold
All the tired bellies filled with drink.
The bar filters out
And only the owls remain
Tonight, there's me
And the old men
And they're chanting
'God is my father
But where is mother?'
I hear a cry from the Hull
'They fuck you up,
your mum and dad'
Larks, shut your mouth
and have a seat.
