C U M

John Giorno

ADVENTURES IN POETRY
 
 I looked
I looked I looked
I looked in the rear
in the rear view

view
 mirror
mirror in the rear view mirror
in the rear view mirror and saw
and saw that the pig
that the pig and saw that the pig
and saw that the pig had a service
had a service revolver
revolver had a service revolver
had a service revolver against
against the brother’s
the brother’s forehead
forehead against the brother’s forehead.
against the brother’s forehead.
Shifting
Shifting their feet
their feet slowly
slowly Shifting their feet slowly,
Shifting their feet slowly, chanting
chanting and singing
and singing chanting and singing,
chanting and singing, they begin
they begin the Dance
the Dance they begin the Dance
they begin the Dance Gazing-
Gazing- Into-The-Sun
Into-The-Sun Gazing-Into-The-Sun.
Gazing-Into-The-Sun.
white

white
 cum

cum
 white cum

white cum
 dripping

dripping
 dripping

dripping
 down

down
 her legs

her legs
 down her legs
down her legs
 large
 as Hindu-

clear
 derived

brown
 as Hindu-derived

eyes
 gods

large clear brown eyes,
 gods,

disarmingly
 they are

easy
 vegetarian

manner
 they are vegetarian,

disarmingly easy manner,
 

straight
 freezing 

out
 beans

straight out
 freezing beans,

in front
 carrots

of me
 carrots,

in front of me
 and peas


 and peas;

As he dialed making

As he dialed, pickles

I made
 making pickles;

a mental
 canning

note
 tomatoes

I made a mental note
 canning tomatoes.
of the number

of the number.
 “come


 out

The pentagon 
 of that truck

of power come out of that truck

The pentagon of power, 
 real 

with
 slow

its missiles
 real slow

with its missiles, with your hands

computers
 up

computers,
 with your hands up

and nuclear
 or we’ll blow

warheads
 this man’s

and nuclear warheads,
 head

is the modern
 off

equivalent
 or we’ll blow

is the modern equivalent this man’s head off!”




 “Alright A bunch

Alright,
 of us

hands
 A bunch of us

behind
 went

your back
 to Pepperland

hands behind your back, went to Pepperland

hands
 friday

behind
 nite

your back friday nite

hands behind your back!”
 to catch


 Charles Lloyd

the scientists
 to catch Charles Lloyd,

who tend
 Capt. Beefheart

them
 Capt. Beefheart,
the scientists who tend them and Hot
a new
 Tuna
priesthood and Hot Tuna.
a new priesthood;

At sunset
Click At sunset 

Click,
 he boarded

click
 his solar

click,
 boat

handcuffs
 he boarded his solar boat

handcuffs,
 to accompany

We were jammed
 the sun

tight
 to accompany the sun

We were jammed tight.
 through


 the underworld

and rocket
 through the underworld

flight

and rocket flight You remember

to a lifeless
 what it was

moon like

to a lifeless moon You remember what it was like

our re-enactment
 not

of the worship
 to have

of the dead
 any worries

our re-enactment not to have any worries.
of the worship of the dead.

 
 as it spurted


 out


 as it spurted out
The bomb
 in great

blew
 thick

The bomb blew out in great thick gobs

walls
 from the enormous

walls,
 head

tore
 from the enormous head
a hole 

tore a hole

in the ceiling
in the ceiling,
demolished

lavatories
 


 demolished lavatories,


 scattered


 concrete


 and cinderblock


 scattered concrete and cinderblock
into the stairway


 into the stairway

In his lifetime
 and bent

In his lifetime, 
 steel

a man
 beams
produces
 and bent steel beams

a man produces encased

billions
 in structural

of sperm
 concrete

cells encased in structural concrete.
billions of sperm cells
like the one

shown

above
like the one shown above,
magnified

10,000 

times
 magnified 10,000 times

by an electron

scanning

microscope

A girl
 by an electron

screams
 scanning microscope.
A girl screams

as fellow

student


 as fellow student

lies

dead

lies dead

Go
 after

into a two-
 National
week
 Guard

Go into a two-week after National Guard

downspin
 opened

of depression fire

downspin of depression opened fire

that we can’t 
 

shake
 

that we can’t shake
Thus

A bulging 
 there develops 

vein
 Thus there develops

A bulging vein
 an eternal

and needle tie

scars an eternal tie

and needle scars between

“tracks
 the two

tracks” between the two.
 Weathermen
Weathermen
are the most 

beautiful

brave

are the most beautiful
 

brave,
 He must dance

wise
 constantly

people
 He must dance constantly 

wise people... facing

young
 the sun

gods
 facing the sun,

young gods
 and he must move

and godliness
 on the ground

and godliness. and he must move on the ground

or suspended

in cruel

space

or suspended in cruel space,

at all times

at all times

except

for brief

formal

rest

periods
except for brief formal

rest periods

when the attendants

may wipe

his bleeding

wounds
when the attendants may wipe
his bleeding wounds

with water

and medicines
with water and medicines.
 We sat
on the yellow-green
grass

We sat
on the yellow-green grass

fringing
The three
 Frog
clung
 Lake
together
 fringing Frog Lake,
The three

clung together

for a long 

time


 for a long time

and then

gradually 

and then gradually 

they began

to come

apart

Thus
 they began to come apart.
a hidden 

spiritual 

power

Thus a hidden

spiritual power
emanates

from them
emanates from them,
influencing

and dominating

others

influencing
and dominating others

without

their being aware
without their being aware

of how

it happens

of how it happens.
 His breath
His breath
began

to come

began to come

in sharp

hisses

in sharp hisses

from between

his clenched

teeth
from between

his clenched teeth. “I smell

the Nile

mud

I smell

the Nile mud

and the frogs

and the frogs!” 

and the Red

Hoopoo-Headed

and the Red Hoopoo-Headed

Desire-Goddess
Desire-Goddess,

holding

a bow

and arrow

in the hand

holding a bow and arrow

in the hand

and aimed

and aimed; 

See me,

feel me

See me, feel me, 

tough me,

heal me

touch me, heal me!
 fully

twelve

inches
fully twelve inches
and more

long
and more

long
and about 

three

inches

and about three inches

so that
 in thickness

the symbolical
 in thickness.

color

designations so that the symbolical

color designations

of these

directions

of these directions

appear

as a rainbow

appear as a rainbow

of concentric

circular

bands

Still 
 of concentric circular bands.
euphoric

Still euphoric 

from his third
hit

of the day
from his third hit
of the day,

he watches

old men

he watches old men
play

shuffleboard

play shuffleboard
 One

charter

pilot

One charter pilot

told

me

told me

that ‘friendly’

opium

shipments

that ‘friendly’

opium shipments

get special

get special

CIA
CIA

clearance

clearance

and monitoring

He was
 and monitoring

found
 on their flights

in his cell
 southward

He was found
 on their flights southward

in his cell
 out

at 12:45 p.m.
 of the country

Saturday
 out of the country
at 12:45 p.m. Saturday,

dangling

from the end

of a rope
dangling from the end

of a rope

he had fashioned

out of

he had fashioned out of
torn

strips

of blanket

torn strips

of blanket.
 two

or three

flights

two or three flights
without

this ‘protection’
without this ‘protection’ 

crashed
 the cocks

crashed
 the cocks

under mysterious
 of the two

circumstances young

under mysterious circumstances.” cops

of the two young cops

both

sprawling

both sprawling
With outstretched

legs

with outstretched legs

in their chairs

in their chairs

while their rigid 

pricks

while their rigid pricks
tried

to push

through

tried to push through The day

the blue
 before

material
 The day before

the blue material
 the guard

of their pants
 had caught

of their pants. Leon

the guard had caught Leon

wrapping

a blanket

wrapping a blanket

around

his neck

around his neck.
 “Fuck 

me

Fuck me,

kill me
kill me,

do anything

you want

to me
do anything

you want to me,
but do something
to me

but do something to me.”



Binding

his arm

Binding his arm

with a belt

with a belt

to make

his veins

to make his veins

the Greenish-Black
 easier

the Greenish-Black
 to find

Vulture-Headed
 

Vulture-Headed 

Eater-Goodness
 

Eater-Goddess,

holding

a baton

holding a baton

in the hand

in the hand;



easier to find,

for his first

hit
of the day

for his first hit

of the day
 began
 “I’m going

to flow
 to go

began to flow I’m going to go

in great
 down

throbs there

in great throbs down there

with my fur

hat

Some
 with my fur hat

young
 and my feathers

users
 and my feathers

Some young users and see

shoot
 all those

shoot
 kids

between
 and see all those kids

their toes who are still

between their toes working

or under
 in gas

their tongues stations

or under their tongues who are still working


 in gas stations


 and driving 

Warm
 dry

rays
 cleaning

Warm rays
 trucks

from the sun and driving

disk dry cleaning trucks

from the sun disk while I’m 

descend making

on the monarch while I’m making

descend on the monarch.
 $50,000

a night 


 $50,000 a night.
I’m going

I’m going

to ram it

up
 

to ram it up

their asses

their asses.”
 One

freak

One freak

runs

into a shop

runs into a shop,
on his ass

on his ass

about 8

Disneyland

pigs
about 8 Disneyland pigs
(keystone

cops

keystone cops,

cowboys
cowboys,

the 7th

cavalary

the 7th cavalary,
etc.),

you can hear

shit

getting

smashed
you can hear shit
getting smashed

and knocked

about If a police

and knocked about officer

in the store 
 If a police office

in the store is not

in uniform

is not in uniform,

ask him

to show
ask him to show

his identification

his identification.
 From 

the government

position

From the government position

on the hilltop

in southern

Laos

on the hilltop

stood 
 in southern Laos, 

around
 we could see

his couch
 the Communist

stood around his couch, lines

when
 we could see

two
 the Communist lines
great

white swans
when two great white swans

who had come

with the storks

who had come with the storks

flew

Twenty 
 into the hall

of the big
 flew into the hall
bombers

Twenty of the big bombers
unloaded

600 tons

of bombs
unloaded 600 tons of bombs
on enemy 

bunkers

on enemy bunkers,
base 

camps

base camps

and staging

areas
and staging areas
 Fat
Annie
Fat Annie,

a former

prostitute

a former prostitute

and madam
and madam

who became

a heroin

supplier

who became

a heroin supplier
to other

madams

to other madams

and pimps

and pimps

and thereby

opened

the door
and thereby opened the door
to fulfillment
to fulfillment 

of all 

her wishes
of all her wishes.



and the Red
Horse-Headed

and the Red Horse-Headed

Delight-Goddess

Delight Goddess,

holding

a huge

trunk

holding a huge trunk

of a corpse

of a corpse;
 All

three

sections

All three sections
represent

different 

versions
represent different versions
of the same

thing
of the same thing, 

seen

from various 

angles
seen from different angles

of vision

For this tribal
 of vision.
war

has
For this tribal war has,
as one

of its prizes
as one of its prizes,
an area

capable

of producing
an area capable of producing,

on an annual

basis

“I got
 on an annual basis,

it all 
 four

now
 to ten

I got it all now, tons

baby
 four to ten tons

baby,”
 of marketable

she boasts
 opium

she boasts. of marketable opium.
 This is equal

to

This is equal to
from $2-6

million
from $2-6 million After 

in Laotian
 the bomb

currency After the bomb

in Laotian currency. has been dropped

from the airplane

has been dropped
from the airplane,

the motor

starts

spinning

the motor starts spinning Although

and the bomblets
 oil

are dispersed
 seepage

in all directions Although oil seepage

are dispersed in all directions. noxious

chemicals

noxious chemicals,

industrial

wastes

“Most 
 industrial wastes,

of it
 debris

Most of it
 and silt

I put
 debris and silt

on my back
 continue

I put on my back to befoul

or in
 continue to befoul

my stomach 

or in my stomach.
Some

I spend

on men

Some I spend on men.
 The rest
 Refined

goes
 as heroin

to the bank
 Refined as heroin

The rest
 and sold
goes to the bank.” on the streets

of Los Angeles
and sold on the streets

of Los Angeles,
 Mattresses
it would bring
 Mattresses,

nearly
 chairs

it would bring nearly and other

$900 million articles

$900 million. chairs

and other articles

But the inmates
 were set

hurled
 fire

But the inmates hurled
 were set fire

the unexploded
 and sent

canisters
 showering

the unexploded canisters
 down
back
 and sent showering down

to the street
 to the crowded

back to the street. streets

to the crowded streets.
the leather



boy
 I’ll stick

the leather boy it

clicked
 deep

open
 inside

a small
 I’ll stick it

tube deep inside,
clicked open a small tube I’ll stick it

and shoved
 deep inside

the etherlike 
 I’ll stick it deep inside,

smell Cause

the etherlike smell I’m loose

into Chuck’s
 Cause I’m loose...
nostril
into Chuck’s nostril.
 Police

said
 The belief
Police said
 The belief

there were
 that those

numerous
 who meet

needle
 that those who meet

marks violent

there were numerous
 deaths

needle marks
 violent deaths

on both of
 became

Janis’s
 evil

arms
 spirits

on both of Janis’s arms, became evil spirits
with fresh

needle

marks
with fresh needle marks
on her left

arm

on her left arm. Medical

evidence

they remain
 Medical evidence

they remain
 revealed

“ghosts
 revealed

ghosts”
 that Hendrix

until
 died

until,
 that Hendrix died

having worked
 through

out
 inhaling

their karmic
 vomit

fate
 through inhaling vomit

having worked out
 due to barbiturate

their karmic fate,
 intoxication

they are reborn
 due to barbiturate intoxication
they are reborn

into another

realm

into another realm.
 Later
 When his power

he and a friend When his power

Later he and a friend appears

he initiated
 to be waning

he initiated 
 appears to be waning,

take
 the king

a hit
 must die

together
 the king must die,

take a hit together
 so that the power

and spend
 can migrate

the evening so that the power can migrate

and spend the evening to a fitter

dozing
 receptacle

dozing
 to a fitter receptacle.
and watching

television Low-lying

and watching television fog

Low-lying

and rolled
 fog

out
 in the valleys

replicas
 hung in the valleys

and rolled out replicas 
 soaking

all over
 soaking

the universe
 the last

all over the universe of autumn’s

leaves

Other
 the last of autumn’s leaves.
their resulting

fame
 The cum

Often their resulting fame
 was warm

is only
 The cum was warm

a momentary
 when

thing
 it fell

is only a momentary thing,
 when it fell,

and their material
 turned

rewards
 cold

and their material rewards
 turned cold

are seldom
 within

commensurate
 seconds

are seldom commensurate. within seconds,
 Helmeted

A note
 policemen

A note
 Helmeted policemen,

thrown
 carrying

from a window shotguns

thrown from a window
 carrying shotguns

by a prisoner
 and tear

said
 gas

by a prisoner said: and tear gas,

ran

alongside

the building
ran alongside the building, 

ducking

the falling

debris

ducking the falling debris the performance

and stepping
 of ritual 

over
 the performance of ritual

and stepping over
 and group

still-smouldering 
 intercourse

mattresses and group intercourse

still-smouldering mattresses. to attain

release

to attain release

through

orgasmic
self-control

through orgasmic self-control.
“The people
The people

ripping 
 are tired

ripping
 of being treated

the cock
 are tired of being treated

and balls
 like animals

the cock and balls in hell

from the dead
 like animals in hell
man’s 

body
from the dead man’s body.
 A strange

midday

darkness
A strange midday

darkness

moved

across

much

moved across much I might 

of the North
 die

American 
 I might die

continent from

of the North American continent the beating-up

yesterday
 from the beating-up

yesterday
 but it is

as the sun
 worth it

as the sun,
 but it is worth it.”
the moon

and the earth
the moon and the earth and the White

came
 Eagle-Headed

into alignment and the White Eagle-Headed 

came into alignment Mighty-Goddess

Mighty-Goddess,

burning
 holding

of the eyes
 a club

burning of the eyes;
 holding a club

copious 
 in the hand

flow
 in the hand;
of tears

copious flow of tears; 

coughing
 Inside
coughing;
 the United

difficulty
 States

in breathing 
 Inside the United States

difficulty in breathing
 we will have

and chest
 war

tightness
 we will have war.
and chest tightness.

 Lewistown
 Lewistown

Lewistown
 Lewistown

had a gold
 had a gold

rush
 rush

had a gold rush
 had a gold rush

in the eighteen-
 

nineties

in the eighteen-nineties,

an oil

boom

an oil boom

in the nineteen-

twenties 

in the nineteen-twenties, 

and a missile

boom

and a missile boom

in the nineteen-

sixties

in the nineteen-sixties—
when

the Air
Force

when the Air Force
built

silos
 just outside town

built silos
 where

for 150
 100

minutemen
 years

missiles ago

for 150 minutemen missiles where 100 years ago

amid
 the Sioux

the straw-
 the Sioux, 

colored
 Blackfeet

plains and Gros Ventre

amid the straw-colored plains Blackfeet and Gros Ventre

just
 hunted

outside
 buffalo

town hunted buffalo.
 Three

time

bombs
Three time bombs

exploded

in midtown

exploded in midtown

within

minutes
within minutes

of each

other

of each other

early

today

early today,

wrecking

wrecking

the skyscraper

offices

If you are
 the skyscraper offices

stopped
 of three

If you are stopped of three

and/or
 of the country’s

arrested
 biggest

and/or arrested
 corporations

by the police
 of the country’s 

by the police, biggest corporations.
you may

remain

silent

you may remain silent;
you do not have

to answer
you do not have to answer
any questions

about 

alleged

crimes
about alleged crimes.
 A king

may recognize

A king may recognize

no man

as his superior
no man as his superior,
or may yield

precedence
or may yield precedence,
tribute

or homage

tribute or homage

to another
to another,

as kings

have acknowledged

an emperor
as kings have acknowledged
the Carnegie
Corporation
the Carnegie Corporation
has found

that most
 but finds 

schools it difficult

has found that most schools but finds it difficult

not only
 to stay

fail
 awake

to educate
 to stay awake

children
 while

adequately on heroin

not only fail to educate while on heroin,

children adequately 
 often

but are also
 dozing off

“oppressive” often dozing off

but are also “oppressive,” in class

“grim
 in class.
grim

and “joyless

and “joyless.”
 “Don’t 

touch

him

Don’t touch him,
he’s

going

to die

anyway
he’s going to die anyway,
let him

die

let him die,

he’s going

to die

he’s going to die..."


at the west end


of this sprawling

community
of this sprawling community

that calls

itself

that calls itself

America’s 

Home
Town
America’s Home Town,

and the Green

Stag-Headed
and the Green Stag-Headed
Wealth-Guardian
Goddess
Wealth-Guardian Goddess,

holding

an urn

holding an urn

in the hand

in the hand;
 It goes

away

inside

itself

It goes away

inside itself

where

it feels 

safe

again

where it feels

safe again,

where 

everything

where everything

is very nice

again

is very nice again,

and where 

everything

slows

down

and where everything

slows down

more
and more

more and more,

until

until,

usually

usually,

one

day

one day

the music

just stops

the music just stops.
But here

in the temple 

But here in the temple

before

the images

before the images

of Buddha

of Buddha,

the animal

world

the animal world

touches

the divine

touches the divine.

the biggest

the biggest,

longest

longest,

thickest

prick

thickest prick

he had ever

laid

eyes

on

he had ever laid

eyes on.

for which

another

person

for which another person

was mainly

a pretext

was mainly a pretext.
 Near

the house

Near the house

are the barn

and silo
are the barn and silo,

cattle

shed

cattle shed

and feeding

corral

wear
 and feeding corral,

flowing
 machine

garments 
 shed

wear flowing garments machine shed,

that shield
 corncribs

their bodies corncribs,

that shield their bodies, and chicken

from the fierce
 house

sun and chicken house.
from the fierce sun

and blowing 

sand
and blowing sand 

during

the daytime

He maintains
 during the daytime.

that there is
 

He maintains that there is 

something
 buried

about
 his face

systems buried his face

something about systems in my neck

that causes
 in my neck
them

that causes them
to be self-stimulating
to be self-stimulating--
 offerings

offerings

molded

of butter

molded of butter
feed

the leaping

Now flames

Now feed the leaping flames 

Hendrix
 (right

and Joplin right),

Hendrix and Joplin
 and the spirit

are dead
 moves on

for real
 and the spirit moves on

are dead for real, toward

back
 its next

to back
 incarnation

back to back toward its next incarnation.

His satiny

skin

His satiny skin

glistened
 At night
in front
 At night,

of my eyes
 the same

glistened in front of my eyes garments

when he pulled
 the same garments

back
 protect

when he pulled back. their bodies

protect their bodies

they have 
 against

a bias
 the cold

they have a bias
 against the cold.
toward

their most

recently

exhibited 

behavior
toward their most recently 

exhibited behavior.
 The second

exploded
The second exploded

at 1:56

at 1:56

in a men's

room

in a men’s room

at the IBM

offices

at the IBM offices

on the 12th floor

of the building

of the building

on Park Ave

at 55th St

on Park Ave at 55th St.

For traveling

and hauling

For traveling and hauling,

the family

the family

uses both 

a station

wagon

uses both a station wagon

and a pickup

truck

and a pickup truck.

Bill

could not 

believe

Bill could not believe

his own

ears

his own ears.
Police

have no right

Police have no right

to search

to search

your car

or your car

your car or your home

unless

they have

unless they have

a search

warrant

a search warrant

or probable 

cause

or probable cause

The farm

family

The farm family

lives

in a comfortable 

oil-heated

house

lives in a comfortable 

oil-heated house.

In a scrub

pine

woodland

In a scrub pine

woodland

on undulating 

terrain

on undulating terrain

at the west

end
A man’s 

body

A man’s body

is his own

is his own, 

and when

he gives

his body

and when he gives his body

or his flesh

or his flesh,

he is giving

the only

thing

he is giving the only thing

which really

belongs

to him

which really belongs to him.

We accepted

the principle

We accepted the principle 

of revolutionary

suicide

of revolutionary suicide.

I have lost

contact
I have lost contact 

with all

my friends

with all my friends

and I don’t know

where 

anyone is

and I don’t know 

where anyone is.
 In effect

In effect,

the United 

States

is covering

up

the United States is covering up

and sometimes

subsidizing 

and sometimes subsidizing

the opium

traffic

the opium traffic

which it purports

to be eradicating

which it purports to be eradicating.

The high

only lasts

The high only lasts

four

to six

hours

four to six hours.

He fought

with maces
He fought with maces,

daggers

and spears

daggers and spears

on fields

filled

on fields filled

with charging

chariots

with charging chariots

and bronze-tipped

arrows

and bronze-tipped arrows. 

 Most
 and there

important
 and there,

Most important
 in its innermost

Amanita
 depths

muscaria
 in its innermost depths,

Amanita muscaria,
 on a golden

a crimson-spotted 
 altar

mushroom
 on a golden altar,

among 

dragons
Among dragons,

lotus

flowers
 a crimson-spotted mushroom, 

lotus flowers,
 a powerful

brocades
 hallucinogen

brocades,
 a powerful hallucinogen

peacock
 still used

feathers
 by Seriban

peacock feathers,
 tribesmen

the flicker
 still used 

of butter
 by Serbian tribesmen,
burning

the flicker
of butter burning

in tiny

and a relative 
 cups

of the milder
 in tiny cups,

and a relative
 and butter

on the milder
 worked

Psilocybe
 into elaborate

mexicana
 shapes

Psilocybe mexicana,
 and patterns


 and butter worked

into elaborate shapes
and patterns

for offering

for offering,
 to face

to find
 with

oneself
 to find oneself 

face 
 face to face with
 The first
 Cum 

bomb
 dripped

The first bomb Cum dripped 

went off
 from the corner

at 1:39 of his mouth

went off at 1:39 from the corner

in a hallway
 of his mouth,

of the 24th
 dripped

floor
 from the hole

in a hallway of his ass

of the 34th floor dripped

of the Mobil
 from the hole of his ass,

building as his own

of the Mobil building. sperm

as his own sperm

pumped

into Malcomb’s 

pumped into Malcomb’s

still convulsing 

hole

in a sitting 
 Still convulsing hole.
position

in a sitting position,
wearing

a jewelled

crown
wearing a jewelled crown See 

and clothing
 me
and clothing
 See me,

of a young
 feel

Indian 
 me

prince feel me,

of a young Indian prince. touch

me

touch me,

heal 

me
heal me.
 he pulled
 Correction

it out
 officers

he pulled it out
 Correction officers

so the other
 with night

kids
 sticks

so the other kids
 with night sticks

could see
 and ax

it
 handles

could see it
 and ax handles

rammed
 crowd

back
 together

rammed back crowd together

full
 in effort

in to beat

full in
 prisoner

to the hilt
 in effort to beat prisoner

to the hilt. just pushed

off

working 
 platform

out 
 just pushed off platform
working out

of one's 
 Snow
karma
 Snow

of one’s karma,
 covers

which consists
 the farm

of the consequences
 covers the farm

which consists 
 during most

of the consequences
 of the winter

of the good
 during most of the winter.
and evil

deeds
 Brown
of the good and evil deeds
 Rice
committed
 Brown Rice
committed
 Raisins
in all
 Raisins
one’s 
 Dates
previous
 Dates
existences
 Rolled
in all one’s 
 Oats
previous existences. 
 Rolled Oats


 He knows
 Do not

He knows
 engage in

that the people
 Do not engage in

are home
 “friendly”

that the people are home
 conversations

watching friendly “conversations”

TV
 with officers

watching TV. with officers

on the way to

A mother
 or at

hog
 the station

A mother hog
 on the way to

usually 
 or at the station.
gives

birth
 The number

usually gives birth
 of cars

to a litter
 The number of cars,

to a litter
 trucks

of 8 to 10
 and buses

pigs
 trucks and buses

at a time
 registered

of 8 to 10 pigs at a time.
 in this country

registered in this country

The inmates
 is increasing

called
 twice

the guards
 as fast

The inmates called 
 is increasing twice as fast

the guards,
 as the human

who found
 population

Romano
 as the human population
who found Romano

lying
 strewn

on the floor
 with a profusion

of his cell
 of pink

lying on the floor
 strewn with a profusion of pink,

of his cell
 green

with his throat
 and yellow

cut
 poppies

with his throat cut. green and yellow poppies.
 As the acid
 Their muscles

As the acid
 were apparently

started
 Their muscles were apparently

to come on
 so out

started to come on
 of condition

we read
 so out of condition

the Ching
 that they had trouble

we read the Ching, walking

and Hugh
 that they had trouble walking,

began
 lifting

to cry
 objects

and Hugh began to cry. lifting objects

and even

one 
 sleeping

of the Vietcong’s
 and even sleeping.

one of the Vietcong’s 

basic
 the Soviet-

arms 
 designed 

basic arms
 the Soviet-designed

before
 assault

it was introduced
 rifle

here
 assault rifle

before it was introduced here
 known

in vast
 here

quantities
 known here

in vast quantities
 as the Kalashnikov

to arm
 as the Kalashnikov.
the commandos

to arm the commandos,
 Their home
or fedayeen
 Their home
or fedayeen.
 has one

or more

his life
 has one or more

was at a stage
 telephones

his life was at a stage
 and radios

where
 telephones and radios,

a drastic
 and a television 

change
 set

where a drastic change
 and a television set.
had to be made
 urban
 After 

guerilla
 being beaten

warfare
 unconscious

urban guerrilla warfare
 After being beaten unconscious 

in the United
 (see

States
 photos

in the United States left and above

see photos left and above)

And he just
 prisoner

cried 
 is dragged

And he just cried
 away

and cried
 prisoner is dragged away

and cried
 by guards

and cried
 by guards
and cried.
Moments 

where
 after

its lord
 Moments after

where its lord
 his last

lay 
 hit

in the great
 of the day

hall
 his last hit of the day

lay in the great hall
 Tom’s 

on his downy 
 eyes

cushions
 are dilated

on his downy cushions
 Tom’s eyes are dilated,

covered
 bright

with a leopard
 and brimming

skin
 bright and brimming.
covered with a leopard skin.
I love 

I love 
 you

you I love you

I love you
 and when

and when I think

I think
 this

this 
 and when I think this

and when I think this
 I flip

I flip
 I flip
I flip 

 and in its phallic

and in its phallic
 form

form
 and in its phallic form

and in its phallic form
 the ancients

the ancients
 saw

saw
 the ancients saw

the ancients saw
 a replica

a replica
 a replica

a replica
 of there fertility

of the fertility
 god

god
 of the fertility god

of the fertility god
 himself

himself
 himself.
himself.
The colors

The colors
 of such

of such
 drawings

drawings
 The colors of such drawings

The colors of such drawings
 were supposed

were supposed
 to change 

to change 
 and induce

and induce
 after-images

after-images
 and induce after-images

and induce after-images
 upon

upon
 extended

extended
 scrutiny

scrutiny
 upon extended scrutiny

upon extended scrutiny
 and meditation

and meditation
 and meditation
and meditation
The kitchen

The kitchen
 The kitchen

The kitchen
 has a modern

has a modern
 stove

stove
 has a modern stove

has a modern stove
 and an electric

and an electric
 refrigerator 

refrigerator 
 and an electric refrigerator.
and an electric refrigerator.
 A thick

cascade
 A thick

A thick cascade
 cascade

of cum
 A thick cascade

of cum
 of cum

flowed
 of cum

from his cock
 flowed

tip
 from his cock

flowed from his cock tip,
 tip

billowing
 flowed from his cock tip,

billowing
 billowing

over his penile
 billowing

shaft
 over his penile

over his penile shaft,
 shaft

over his balls
 over his penile shaft,

and hand
 over his balls

over his balls and hand. and hand

over his balls and hand.
the changes

the changes
 the changes

to the human
 the changes

body
 to the human

to the human body
 body

brought
 to the human body

about
 brought

brought about
 about

by weightlessness
 brought about

by weightlessness by weightlessness

by weightlessness
These phenomena 

involve
 These phenomena 

These phenomena involve
 involve

the conversion 
 These phenomena involve

of matter
 the conversion 

the conversion of matter
 of matter

into energy
 the conversion of matter

into energy,
 into energy

and vice versa
 into energy,

and vice versa, and vice versa

and vice versa,
 the card

the card
 showing

showing
 a tower

a tower
 the card showing a tower

the card showing a tower
 being struck

being struck
 by lightning 

by lightning 
 being struck by lightning

being struck by lightning
 and two

and two
 men

men
 and two men

and two men
 running

running
 from it

from it
 running from it.
running from it.
Suffering
Suffering Suffering,

Suffering,
 therefore

therefore
 therefore,

therefore,
 is the karmic

is the karmic
 consequence

consequence
 is the karmic consequence 

is the karmic consequence 
 of one’s 

of one’s 
 past

past
 sins

sins
 of one’s past sins
of one’s past sins
Cultivate
Cultivate Cultivate 

Cultivate 
 means 

means 
 to stir

to stir
 the soil

the soil
 means to stir the soil

means to stir the soil
 around

around
 growing

growing
 plants 

plants 
 around growing plants

around growing plants
 to kill 

to kill 
 weeds

weeds
 to kill weeds.
to kill weeds.
 The third

blew
 The third

The third blew
 blew

at 2:02
 The third blew

at 2:02
 at 2:02

in a men’s 
 at 2:02

room
 in a men’s 

in a men’s room
 room

in the offices
 in a men’s room

of Sylvania 
 in the offices

Electric
 of Sylvania 

in the offices of Sylvania Electric
 Electric

in the General
 in the offices of Sylvania Electric

Telephone
 in the General

Building
 Telephone

in the General Telephone Building Building

in the General Telephone Building
known

as hadrons
 known

known as hadrons,
 as hadrons

that interact
 known as hadrons,

with one
 that interact

another
 with one

that interact with one another
 another

in ways
 that interact with one another

controlled
 in ways

in ways controlled
 controlled

by the most 
 in ways controlled

powerful
 by the most 

force
 powerful

by the most powerful force
 force

in nature
 by the most powerful force

in nature,
 in nature

the so-called
 in nature,

the so-called
 the so-called

“strong
 the so-called

force
 “strong

Strong force.” force

Strong force.”
 Skip

Skip
 and Jack

and Jack
 Skip and Jack

Skip and Jack
 are now

are now
 in jail

in jail
 are now in jail

are now in jail awaiting

awaiting
 trial

trial
 awaiting trial

awaiting trial
 of federal

of federal
 charges

charges of federal charges

of federal charges of harboring 

of harboring 
 and concealing

and concealing of harboring and concealing

of harboring and concealing a fugitive

a fugitive
 a fugitive,

a fugitive, they had

they had
 trouble

trouble
 they had trouble
they had trouble when they lay 

when they lay 
 down

down when they lay down

when they lay down to sleep

to sleep
 to sleep

to sleep
 because

because
 they felt

they felt
 because they felt
because they felt that great

that great
 pressures

pressures that great pressures

that great pressures were pushing

were pushing
 through

through
 them

them were pushing through them

were pushing through them to their backs

to their backs
 to their backs. 

to their backs. 

 and men

and men
 and men

clad
 and men

in armor
 clad

clad in armor in armor

riding
 clad in armor
fiery
 riding

Arab
 fiery

steeds Arab

riding fiery Arab steeds steeds

as white
 riding fiery Arab steeds

as silver as white

as white as silver, as silver

with quivering
 as white as silver,

red
 with quivering

nostrils red

with quivering red nostrils nostrils

and flown
 with quivering red nostrils

manes
 and flown

reaching
 manes

to the ground
 reaching

and flowing manes
 to the ground

reaching to the ground. and flowing manes

reaching to the ground.
to preclude

future
 to preclude

suffering
 future

to preclude future suffering suffering

by eliminating
 to preclude future suffering

those desires by eliminating

by eliminating those desires 
 those desires

which produce
 by eliminating those desires 

which produce which produce

which produce
Their bonds

Their bonds
 Their bonds

are $30,000
 Their bonds

each
 are $30,000

are $30,000 each. each

are $30,000 each.
 who constructed it

who constructed it
 who constructed it

who constructed it
 did not

did not
 want

want
 their enemies

their enemies
 did not want their enemies

did not want their enemies
 to trail

to trail
 them

them
 to trail them,

to trail them,
 they built

they built
 no roads

no roads
 they built no roads

they built no roads
 and they constructed

and they constructed
 their houses

their houses
 and they constructed their houses

and they constructed their houses
 with high

with high
 gables

gables
 with high gables,

with high gables,
 covered

covered
 with grass
with grass covered with grass, 

covered with grass, 
 that would blend

that would blend
 into the landscape

into the landscape
 that would blend into the landscape.
that would blend into the landscape.
“I could

“I could
 look

look
 “I could look

“I could look
 upon

upon
 my total

my total
 ruin

ruin
 upon my total ruin

upon my total ruin
 with as detached

with as detached
 an unconcern

an unconcern
 with as detached an unconcern 

with as detached an unconcern 
 as I look 

as I look 
 upon

upon
 theirs

theirs
 as I look upon theirs.” 

as I look upon theirs.” 

 “Anti-personnel”

“Anti-personnel”
 weapons

weapons
 “Anti-personnel” weapons

“Anti-personnel” weapons
 range

range
 from bombs

from bombs
 range from bombs

range from bombs
 which spin

which spin
 thousands

thousands
 of killing

of killing
 and maiming

and maiming
 pellets

pellets
 which spin thousands 

which spin thousands 
 of killing and maiming pellets

of killing and maiming pellets
 over an area

over an area
 ten

ten
 football

football
 fields

fields
 long

long
 over an area

over an area
 ten football fields long,
ten football fields long, to projectiles

to projectiles
 to projectiles

to projectiles
 that “shred”

that “shred”
 people

people
 that “shred” people

that “shred” people
 and “nail”

and “nail”
 them

them
 to trees

to trees
 and “nail” them to trees.
and “nail” them to trees.
The conch

The conch
 shell
shell The conch shell

The conch shell
 is blown

is blown
 to announce

to announce
 is blown to announce

is blown to announce
 the auspicious

the auspicious
 occasion

occasion
 the auspicious occasion. 

the auspicious occasion. 

 As the strokes

As the strokes
 became

became
 longer

longer
 As the strokes became longer,

As the strokes became longer,
 Tom heard

Tom heard
 a sigh 

a sigh 
 of appreciation 

of appreciation 
 Tom heard a sigh of appreciation

Tom heard a sigh of appreciation
 from the audience

from the audience
 from the audience

from the audience
 as they watched

as they watched
 nine

nine
 as they watched nine,

as they watched nine,
 eleven

eleven
 eleven,

eleven,
 and even thirteen

and even thirteen
 inches

inches
 and even thirteen inches
and even thirteen inches of black 

of black 
 cock

cock
 of black cock

of black cock
 come out

come out
 of his white

of his white
 asshole

asshole
 come out of his white asshole

come out of his white asshole
 and then plunge

and then plunge
 all the way
all the way In

In
 and then plunge all the way in

and then plunge all the way in
 out

out
 of sight

of sight
 out of sight.
out of sight.
Arjuna

Arjuna
 Arjuna

Arjuna
 sets out

sets out
 toward

toward
 the Himalayas

the Himalayas
 sets out toward the Himalayas
sets out toward the Himalayas
 in order

in order
 to win

to win
 in order to win

in order to win
 the grace

the grace
 of the God

of the God
 Shiva

Shiva
 the grace of the God Shiva.
the grace of the God Shiva.
It was engineered

It was engineered
 by 25

by 25
 Weathermen

Weathermen
 It was engineered by 25 Weathermen

It was engineered by 25 Weathermen
 who came

who came
 from all over

from all over
 the country

the country
 who came from all over the country 

who came from all over the country 
 and spent

and spent
 six weeks

six weeks
 and spent six weeks

and spent six weeks
 planning for 

planning for 
 planning for

planning for
 “all
“all contingencies 

contingencies 
 all contingencies.”
all contingencies.”
He hopes

He hopes
 to procure

to procure
 He hopes to procure

He hopes to procure from Him

from Him
 the divine

the divine
 arrow

arrow
 the divine arrow

the divine arrow
 to help him

to help him
 and his brothers 

and his brothers to help him and his brothers

to help him and his brothers in their coming

in their coming
 war

war
 in their coming war
in their coming war
 If it

falls
 It it 

If it falls
 falls

rightside 
 If it falls

up
 upside

rightside up,
 down

it indicates
 upside down,

it indicates
 it indicates

an overthrow
 it indicates

of social
 imprisonment

order
 or bondage

an overthrow of social order,
 imprisonment or bondage.
or an unforeseen 

catastrophe
 Last
or an unforeseen catastrophe. 
 Sept. 13

Last Sept. 13
another
 Leary
man
 Leary

another man scaled

circles
 a 12-foot

about them chain 

circles about them, fence

aiming
 scaled a 12-foot chain fence.
an 8-mm

movie
 seemed

camera stunned

aiming an 8-mm movie camera by the bright
and occasionally
 orange

murmuring
 carpets

directions
 by the bright orange carpets,

and occasionally murmuring royal

directions. blue

upholstered

holding 
 chairs

a popper
 royal blue upholstered chairs

holding a popper and the gleaming 

to Chuck’s 
 escalators

contorting 
 and the gleaming escalators.
face
to Chuck’s contorting face. 

 came
 If there

the sound seems

came the sound, If there seems

at first
 to be no

low
 particular 

at first low,
 direction

then
 to be no particular direction

rising
 in which you should 

in volume travel

then rising in volume in which you should travel

until
 and you can see

it resounded
 hills

until it resounded
 and you can see hills,

from the beamed
 head

ceiling toward them

from the beamed ceiling head toward them,

like a foghorn
 for the likeliest

like a foghorn: place

“oooOOOMMMMMMM
 for the likeliest place
oooOOOMMMMMMM!"
 to locate


 water

to locate water

will be

at their base

I could 
 will be at their base.

feel

I could feel
the hot
 its drug

sperm its drug

the hot sperm was a purer

running
 form

out
 was a purer form

running out
 of the god’s 

in spurts
 own

in spurts. spermatozoa

of the god’s own
spermatozoa
 At the conclusion

At the conclusion
 At the conclusion,

At the conclusion,
 a pipe

a pipe
 is taken

is taken
 to the singers

to the singers
 and drummers

and drummers
 a pipe is taken

a pipe is taken
 to the singers and drummers

to the singers and drummers to indicate 

to indicate 
 their work

their work
 is finished

is finished to indicate their work is finished.
to indicate their work is finished.
These rays

These rays
 are then

are then
 These rays are then

These rays are then almost

almost
 instantaneously 

instantaneously 
 transformed

transformed almost instantaneously transformed

almost instantaneously transformed
 back

back
 into new

into new
 particles

particles
 back into new particles.
back into new particles.
he has kissed 

he has kissed 
 the sky

the sky
 he had kissed the sky

he had kissed the sky like a falcon

like a falcon
 like a falcon;

like a falcon;
 he has leapt

he has leapt
 skyward

skyward he has leapt skyward

he has leapt skyward like a grasshopper

like a grasshopper like a grasshopper."
like a grasshopper."
 Let
 Let

the wise
 the wise

man
 man

Let the wise man Let the wise man

make
 make

for himself for himself

make for himself make for himself

an island
 an island

an island
 an island

which no flood
 which no flood

overwhelms overwhelms

which no flood overwhelms
 which no flood overwhelms


I am 
 I am 

armed
 armed

I am armed
 I am armed

and should 
 and should 

be considered
 be considered

and should be considered and should be considered 

dangerous
 dangerous

dangerous
 dangerous

to anyone
 to anyone

who threatens
 who threatens

my life
 my life

to anyone who threatens
 to anyone who threatens

my life
 my life

or my freedom or my freedom

or my freedom. or my freedom.

1970
CUM was first performed by Michael Brody and me
at The 98 Greene Street Loft on March 29, 1971.
We stood facing each other inside a chalk circle
in the center of the loft space with AKG micro-
phones and four speakers at the corners. Michael
had the left column of the poem and I had the
right. We chanted and sang and screamed the words
in mantric rhythms to each other. In another
chalk circle six musicians played: Angus MacLise
on tabla, Hette on tamboura, Scott Markham on
drums, Matthew on double bass recorder, Michael
McClanathan and another cat on flute. The audi-
ence sat on foam rubber cushions around us. We
were like with red fresnels, the musicians with
purple and the audience with blue and green.
There was a party afterwards with red wine and
Holly Solomon’s sponge cake. Michael, the music-
ians and I did some Sunshine for the performance.

JG