This is a tape cut-up I made with Carl Weissner way back in 1971. We used a recording of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley speaking to members of the city council. We “cut” the tape electronically, not manually, on a big old reel-to-reel that I had at the time. You can hear the cuts. Technically speaking, they could have been smoothed over. But we were having too much fun going for the absurd “poetry” to fix them.
Today to my surprise I find that I must rise
To press my lips on my toe tips
Can they be mine? Can they be mine?
As straight as any pine,
And reach up to kiss their fair lips
Can they be mine?
Soon I must be — I must share them
Soon I know they will go
But oh, but oh, but oh, I am so glad
So long I have stooped down
To press my lips
Against the fair cheek or brow
Of my young toe tips.
The mayor concludes: “I hope the professor will give that to his class tonight.” A city council member says that when the roll is read he’d like to change his vote to “No.”
