A German television crew creates a spectacle to rival Literature around the World tonight in San Francisco David Bromige reads poetry intellectual and wonderful if you would only listen everything is as interesting as anything that makes you see I have plenty of thoughts of my own—many not nearly as interesting as these under painful lights that white our eyes above the wooden chairs that creak the crew tries not to intrude and does not succeed as we look listen taste our dry mouths feel our faces smell art on the walls by friends of Jack Spicer echo the existential doubts of unfamous artists in a room lacking intimacy like history not friendship what would you say to Picasso if you met him on the street or if you could talk to the president and you despise all he represents maybe instead of having a conversation you’d rather make a speech it’s easy to find fault but to praise you need to understand the television crew turns off the camera before the end of every poem I’m a poet therefore I look at poems for only what I can use looking for a good excuse create create create this must be my banner.
18 June 1986