The Collected Poems of Ted Berrigan (29 page)

This queer sex book is not

very dirty.

Not even very queer.

Not even here,

Now.

I am dead; and I am now in

The After-life. Here you do

just what you do in Life, but

it’s never quite real, nor fun.

It isn’t boring tho, but it is

sort of pointless.

I’m not sure how long I’ve been

dead, but I’d say it is since about

1962.

Once in a while I’m alive for a few minutes

. . . . . . probably just dreams

or very real deja-vus.

Maybe it’s age, & you come alive

in a different way maybe next

year, or some time.

It isn’t any big thing,

anyway.

I mean, you can’t go around

worrying about it.

I do nothing for a while,

&

I don’t remember

what nothing.

Maybe I will fuck

this trip.

She’s in Boston.

I would like to be elected a
SENATOR
.

I don’t think I’m suited

for any other job, &

I think my poetry

would be exciting to write

if I were a

Senator.

I’d be a terrific Senator

because I’d love it.