Pavol Janik

1956 / Bratislava

I'm With You

It's completely me -
height 180 centimetres,
measurements 108 by 83 by 107,
weight 73 kilos,
five military qualifications
and even more civilian,
brown hair, green eyes,
born on the occasion
of the Hungarian Uprising,
bashful and christened,
married with three children.
I don't beat out a rhythm in English,
but I'm of the world.
Send me fan mail,
postcards and gifts,
books and pictures,
busts and bacon,
booze and flowers.
Support your poet
who, instead of you, behaves
like an idiot.
Write to my European address -
Slovakia.
Call me,
all of you, who love me,
who can't live without me,
or least die.
Call the number 314 212,
my automatic telephone
will pick up 24 hours a day.
Don't be ashamed of your feelings.
God is watching you -
at last do something stupid.
Send some dosh to my account
SSS 3478228.
Remit to my pristine account
your dirty money,
I'll launder it day and night.
You can rely on me
to spend it all on myself
as opposed to other
charitable institutions,
christmas clubs and other swindles.
I'm waiting for your letters,
spiritual outpourings
and filthy lucre.
I know
that all
the better sort of people are shocked
that the worse have not improved.
They can go
and get stuffed.

(1991)
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