David Lehman

There comes a time in every man’s life

original thought in my lifeincluding this one & therefore I shalleliminate all ideas from my poemswhich shall consist of cats, rice, rainbaseball cards, fire escapes, hanging plantsred brick houses where I shall give up boozeand organized religion even if it meansdespair is a logical possibility that can’tbe disproved I shall concentrate on the fivesenses and…

May 8

700 francs will get you $109.91on this muggy May afternoonwhich is good to know sinceI just found 700 francs in my walletwhile Dinah Washington was singing‘My Old Flame’ I was thinking of whereI was with Glen when Allen Ginsberg diedand if I could relax for one hourif I knew what that felt likeit would seem…

Nothing extends a phone

saying you’re on your way outbut she wants to tell youthe five things she requiresin a man one is intelligencehe must have a brainalso he must be good a termshe likes because it embraces boththe opposite of evil and ‘good inbed’ and you admire the wayshe skillfully maneuvered theconversation to the sex livesof jazz fans…

Wisteria, hysteria is as obvious a rhyme

honeymooners traditionally went to the Fallswhich were, said the divine Oscar,an American bride’s second biggest disappointmenttell me which do you like better,the American Falls or the Horseshoe Falls,I say the Horseshoe Falls, Joe says,because its magnificence surpasses the American Fallsthank you, Joe, and did you knowwhen Casey Stengel managed the Yankeeshe sat next to Bob…