"BAND - SHELL"

" ... WOULD IT ALL BE FOR NAUGHT ... ? ... WOULD THE ANTICIPATION ...? ... BE GREATER THAN THE EXECUTION ... ? ... WOULD THE HYPE ... ? ... OVER - SHADOW ... ? THE EVENT ... ? ... I HAD A LEGITIMATE " A N X I E T Y - A T T A C K " ... ... THE SATURDAY NIGHT , BEFORE THE FEATURE ... ... AT THE NAUMBERG BAND - SHELL ... WITH ... ... A N A M O N T A N A ... ... NERVOUSLY RODE - OUT TO GRAND ARMY PLAZA ... ... ON THE # 2 EXPRESS ( THAT WASN'T RUNNING EXPRESS !!! )... ... DIDN'T WANT MY PERFORMANCE PARTNER ... TO BE LATE ... ... OVER - BURDENED WITH PROPS ... AND /OR COSTUMES ... ... OR ... ?... JUST ... ? SLIP THROUGH MY FINGERS ... !!! ... EVERY - THING SET ... ? ... WE HIT THE ROAD ... FOR CENTRAL PARK ... AND THE NAUMBERG BAND - SHELL ... ... SOME SORTA QUASI - UNITED - NATIONS - SPONSORED ... ... WORLD - PEACE - RIGHT - WING - EVANGELICAL - RALLY ... ? ... IS GOING ON AT THE MALL ... IN FRONT OF THE BAND - SHELL ... ... FREE TIBET ... TAIPEI , TAIWAN ... REPUBLIC OF CHINA ... ... REPUBLIC OF SOUTH KOREA ... ... THE SO - CALLED "CAPTIVE - NATIONS" ... ... UNDER GOD - LESS COMMUNIST THRALL - DOM ... ... BORN - AGAIN CHRISTIANS ... SING POP-SONGS FOR THE MASSES ... ... BLESSING OF THE FLAGS ... ... MANY FOLDING CHAIRS ... FOR THE ASSES OF THE MASSES ... ARE WHISKED -AWAY ... ... BY THE TRUCK - LOAD ... ... AT 5 : 3 0 P M ... ... BEFORE THE "POETIC LICENSE" ... EVENT IS SCHEDULED ... TO BEGIN ... ... AT 6 : 0 0 P. M. ... !!! ... ALONG WITH ALLL THEIR ... HIGH - TECH AMPS ... P . A . S ... ... AND MICROPHONES ... !!! ... ANGELA PELUSO ... THE SHOW'S PRODUCER ... IS ALREADY THERE ... ... SITTING ON A PARK - BENCH ... ON THE MALL ... ... ALONG WITH HER "ROADIE" ... AND HER 4 0 DOUBLE D D ... ... SILICONE BREAST IMPLANTS ... !!! ... CHAIN - SMOKING INCESSANTLY ... LIKE A N A ... ... IT'S GONNA BE A "LIGHT" DAY ... FOR POETS ... ... POET ... " PETER KERNS " ... A CO - FEATURE AT THE EVENT ... ? ... HAS ALREADY DROPPED OUT ... ... STATING THAT HE WAS ... N E V E R ... GOING TO WRITE , READ ... OR RECITE ... POETRY ... EVER AGAIN ... !!! ( HE IS A SCULPTOR ... BY TRADE ... !!! ) . ... ROXANNE HOFFMAN ... ? IS ... ? ... " I L L "... ... FRANK SIMONE ... DID SHOW UP ... ... EVIE IVEY ... SHOWED UP ... HAD TO GO ON FIRST ... ... DUE TO HER "TOOTH - ACHE" ... HER POOR VISION ... ... AND THE PARK'S IMPENDING DARKNESS ... AND LEAVE ... EARLY ... ? ... IN THE COMPANY OF HOME-LESS POET/ "FREE-TIBET" ADVOCATE/ ASS-HOLE .... ... TOM WEISS ...!!!??? ( ... WHO ... ? THANK-FULLY ... !!!! DID ... N O T ... ... READ IN THE OPEN - MIKE ... !!!). ... THE ANTICIPATION ... ? IS KILLING ME ... !!! ... A N A ... ? READS ... ... WE DO A QUICK RUN - THROUGH ... OF THE SCRIPT ... ... A HURRIED , LAST - MINUTE ... ... MINI - RE- HEARSAL ... ... A N A ... ? INCLUDES THE SCENES ... ? ... WHERE SHE EXPOSES HER - SELF ... FLASHING HER .. T I T S ... ... AT ME ... AND MY POLAROID CAMERA ... !!!! ... A N A ... ? YANKS DOWN THE TOP OF HER BLACK , LACY , NYLON BRA ... ... BARING HER ROSY - RED NIPPLES ... ... AND PETITE , PERKY BREASTS ... ... RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CENTRAL PARK MALL ... AS WE GO - OVER LINES , ... TOGETHER ... !!! ... I TOOK AS MANY POLAROIDS ... AS I WAS ABLE ... ... AND ... ? ... " T H I S " ... ? ... MORE THAN ANY - THING ELSE ... ? ... SIGNIFIED ... ? THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP ... ? ... A N A ... ? AND ... ? M E ... ? ... HAD CHANGED ... ONCE A - GAIN ... ... FOR ... ? T W O - W H O L E - F U C K I N ' - Y E A R S ... ??? ... SHE HAD DENIED ... M E ... ? ... " A U T H O R I Z A T I O N " ... TO TAKE PICTURES OF HER ... NUDE ...!!!! ... WHILE .. ? ... SHE ...? H A D ... ALLOWED ... THAT LITTLE "POSEUR" ... GEORGE C. ... ? ... THAT HONORED PRIVILEGE ... !!!! ... " V A L E R I E "... ? MY ... F I R S T ... E X - WIFE ... ? ... HAD PULLED THE S A M E ... ... " B U L L - S H I T " ... ON ... M E ... ? ... MANY YEARS EARLIER ... ? ( 1 9 9 7 )... !!! ... WHEN SHE DECIDED TO FINALLY ... ? ... D I V O R CE ... M E ... !!! ... THE ... F I R S T ... THING THEM BROADS "DO" ... ? ... IS TO DENY YOU ... ? THE RIGHT TO SEE THEM ... N A - K E D ... !!! ... EVER AGAIN ... !!! ... DESPITE THE FACT THAT YOU'VE SEEN THEM ... N U D E ... ??? ... A M I L L L I O N TIMES ... !!!??? ... THEY START COVERING - UP ...? AND CHANGING IN THE BATH - ROOM ..!!! ... AS IN ... ? ..." Y O U - A I N ' T ... ... N E V E R - G O N N A - S E E ... ? ... T HI S ... ? B O D Y ... A G A I N ... ... S U C K E R ...!!!". ... I M A Y NOT BE ... ? F U C K I N' HER , ANY - MORE ...? ... BUT A N A ... ? RESTORED MY NUDITY ... RIGHTS ... !!! ( ... A N A ... ? ... PORTRAYING MY ONE-TIME LIVE-IN ... ... STAND-UP - COMIC GIRL-FRIEND JANET ... ? ... IN THE SCRIPT ... ... DESIGNATED THE ROLE ... ? ... BY DONNING A JAPANESE FLORAL PRINT BATH - ROBE ... ... WRAPPING IT TIGHTLY ABOUT HER TORSO ... ... SYMBOLICALLY ...? ... COVERING UP HER BODY WITH IT ... ... AGAIN ... ? DE-LINEATING THE ... ... "YOU'LL N E V E R SEE " T H I S " BODY ... ... ANY-MORE ...". E X - LOVER STANCE ... !!!). ... AS I WAS CLICKING AWAY ... ON MY POLAROID ... ... THE HOSTESS/PRODUCER ... CAME OVER TO OUR IM PROM TU ... "PHOTO - SHOOT" ... TO TALK ... " ... WOULD YOU LIKE TO POSE ...?". ... ANGELA ... GOOD-NATUREDLY POSED FOR A COUPLE ... ... OF "RUN-OF-THE-MILL" ..."CHEESE-CAKE" SHOTS... ... KEEPING HER FLIMSY TUILLE BLOUSE ON ... ... JUTTING HER BOSOM OUT ... LIKE THE PROW OF AN ... ... EIGHTEENTH CENTURY "MAN O' WAR" ... ... FOUR-MASTED ... SAILING SHIP ... ... OF "THE LINE " ...!!! " ... ANY - THING ... ? ELSE ... ? ". " ... LATER ... ". ... SHE EVEN POSED ... " BUST - TO - BUST "... ... WITH ... " A N A M O N T A N A " ... !!! ... IT WAS ALREADY SUN - SET ... TWI - LIGHT ... ... APPROACHING ... ... WHEN THE EVENT STARTED ... ... THE COPS ... AND PARK - RANGERS ... ... HAD RUN-OFF ... THE DRUMMERS ... ... WITH THEIR PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS ... CONGAS ... ... AND COPEIRA DANCERS ... AND BRASS - BAND ... ... WITH HORN SECTION ... ... FORCING THEM OVER BY THE VOLLEY - BALL COURTS ... ... BY THE SHEEP MEADOW ... ACROSS THE MALL ... ... THEIR BASS - BEATS ... ? ... CONTINUED TO IN-FUSE ... AND COMPETE WITH ... ... THE VOICES OF THE POETS ... ... FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT ... !!! ... CRAZY , ANNOYING ... "CHIHUAHUA-ON-ACID" ... ... POET/FITNESS GURU ... HARRY LICHTENSTEIN ... ... OPENED ... ... WITH HIS SIGNATURE PIECE ... " PERSPECTIVES "... ... THAT HE (ANNOYINGLY !!!!) ... RECITES ... ... FROM MEMORY ... AT E V E R Y SINGLE OPEN - MIKE ... ... HE READS AT ... !!! ... AND ... ? ... AS AN EXTRA ADDED BONUS ... ? ... READS A POEM ... WHICH WAS PUBLISHED IN ... ? ... THE HUNTER COLLEGE LITERARY MAGAZINE ... ... IN 1 9 7 2 ... !!!! ... WHICH HE WROTE IN 1 9 7 0 ... !!!! ... THEN ... ? ... HAS THE A U D A C I T Y ... !!??? ... TO ASK IF HE CAN "TRADE" ... ? ... HIS " N E W " BOOK OF PUBLISHED POEMS ... ? ... FOR " M Y " BOOK ... ? ... " S I B L I N G / R I V A L R Y " ... !!!???? ... AINT GONNA HAPPEN ... !!!! " ... MAYBE N E X T - T I M E ... !!!". " ... I'LL BRING MY BOOK TO THE BACK FENCE , ... NEXT SUNDAY ... !!!". ... " D U D E " ... ? ... THE CHEF ... FROM " SERENDIPITY III " ... ... ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE ... ? ... WHO LIVES IN MY CO - OP BUILDING , OUT IN ... ... BAYSIDE , QUEENS ... ... WAS IN THE AUDIENCE ... ... ANGELA ... KEEPS "BUMPING" US ... FURTHER , ... AND FURTHER .... DOWN THE LIST .... ... "CECIL" ... DOES A MEDLEY ... ... OF DIANA ROSS KARAOKE' TUNES ... ... ANGELA , HERSELF ... READS MAYA ANJALOU 'S .... ... " STILL I RISE " ... (YAWN !!!). ... SUN - SET ... GIVES WAY TO ... SUN - DOWN ... ... AFTER - GLOW OF DAY ... ... FINALLY ... ? TWI - LIGHT ... ... CENTRAL PARK'S MALL ... IN SEPTEMBER ... ... IS MOST BEAUTIFUL ... AT THIS TIME OF DAY ... ... EVEN ... ? ORDINARILY ... BLITZED ... AND STONED ... ... ANGELA ... IS IM-PRESSED ... " ... LOOKS LIKE A HUGE ... "FISH - BOWL " FROM HERE ... ". ... IT DID ... ... THE THREE - FOUR STORY HIGH ... ... CURVED NAUMBERG BAND-SHELL... ... THE NEAR - BY MALL ... ... BARELY ILLUMINATED BY REFLECTED LIGHT ... ... THE PERFECT ROUND COPSE OF THE SURROUNDING ... ... SYCAMORE TREES ... STILL IN - LEAF ... ... LATE SUMMER / EARLY AUGUST ...ARCHING - OVER ... ... EN-CIRCLING THE PRO- SCENIUM ... ... IT DID LOOK LIKE A GIANT FISH - BOWL ... ... AND THE POETS ... ? ... MERE LIZARDS ... ? ... IN GOD'S TERRARIUM ... ... S U R - REALITY ... RULES ... ... THE MOON RISES ... ... ANGELA INTRO - DUCES OUR ACT ... BY ... ... RECITING JACK KEROUAC ' S POEM ... "MOON"... ... WE'RE UP ... AT LAST ... ... DOZENS OF "PROPS" NEED TO BE SET - UP ... ... SOME OF WHICH ... ? ... I'VE N E V E R SEEN , BEFORE ... !!! ... AND HERE GOES ... ... EVERY - THING ... ? IN ANTICIPATION OF THIS ONE MOMENT ... ... A TWO YEAR EXILE ... IN THE WASTE - lAND OF PERFORMANCE ART / POETRY ... ... COMES TO AN END ... NOW ... ... I BEGIN : " ... " R U B Y ' S ... ... THE AFTER - PARTY ... FOR THE 2 0 0 6 ... ... MERMAID PARADE ...CONEY ISLAND , ... BROOKLYN , U . S . A . ... ... ON THE BOARD - WALK ... AND STILLWELL AVENUE ... ... DRUNKEN REVELLERS .... CELEBRATE ... ... BY GETTING EVEN DRUMKER ... ... MERMAIDS DANCE ON TABLE - TOPS ... ... SINGING ALONG ... TO ... THE MUSIC OF ... ... ELTON JOHN ... JOHNNY CASH ... FRANK SINATRA .... AND BILLY JOEL ... ... ME ... ? AND MY GIRL - FRIEND ... ... "MISS CARMEN MIRANDA" ... JUST CHILLIN' ... ... BASKING IN THE AFTER - GLOW ... OF ANOTHER YEAR'S ... JOB ... ? WELL - DONE ... ? ... WHEN ... " L U C I F E R " ... ???!!! ... MAKES HER GRAND EN-TRANCE ... ... IN THE COMPANY OF HER LATEST GOTH GIRL - FRIEND ... " ... HEY , B I G - M I K E " ... !!!". ... SHE HONESTLY SEEMS GLAD TO SEE ME ... !!! ... NOT LIKE L A S T TIME ... AT THE ... ... TERRIBLE TOY FAIR ... AT C B G B ' S ... !!! ... WHEN ... ? " L U C I F E R " ... ? ... TRIDED TO CONNECT ... ? ... WITH SEVERAL ROUND-HOUSE KARATE ' KICKS ... TO MY HEAD ...!!! ... WEARING HER BLACK COMBAT BOOTS ... !!! ... AFTER ACCUSING ME ... ? ... OF HITTING -ON HER ... E X - GIRL - FRIEND ...? ... SARAH ... !!! ( ...I WAS ONLY TRYING TO GET SARAH ... ? ... TO POSE ... " T O P - L E S S " ... ... FOR MY POLAROID CAMERA .... !!!). " ... GET THE FUCK AWAY FROM , ME ... !!! ... BIG MIKE ... !!! ... AND STOP HITTING - ON MY GIRL - FRIEND ... !!! ... LAST TME I SAW YOU ... ? ... YOU TRIED TO F U C K ... MY LITTLE SISTER ... !!!! ... GET THE ... F U C K ....AWAY FROM ME ... !!! ... AND STOP HITTING - ON MY " CUP - CAKE " ... !!! ".( ... A VERY , VERY REGRET - ABLE INCIDENT ... ... IN-VOLVING " L U C I F E R 'S " ... ? ... EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE SIXTEEN - YEAR - OLD ... ... YOUNGER SISTER .... !!!! ... I WAS ONLY TRYING TO GET HER EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE ... ... SIXTEEN - YEAR - OLD YOUNGER SISTER ... ? ... TO POSE ... " T O P - L E S S " ... ? ... FOR MY POLAROID CAMERA ... !!! ... " L U C I F E R " ... LASHED - OUT AT ME ... ... DRUNKENLY SWINGING HER FISTS AT A POINT IN THE AIR ... ... SIX INCHES IN FRONT OF MY FACE ... !!!!" ... GET THE ... F U C K ... AWAY FROM ME ... !!!! BIG - MIKE ... !!!! ... I'M WARNING Y O U .... FOR THE L A S T TIME ... ". ... " DISCRETION " ... ? ... BEING THE BETTER PART OF ... " VALOUR " ... ? ... AND BEING A ... "GENTLEMAN " ...(HAR!HAR!HAR!)... ... AND ... ? N O T ... WANTING TO HIT A ... "GIRL" ... (HAR!HAR!HAR!)... ... I BEAT ... A HASTY RETREAT ... ... YIELDING THE BATTLE - FIELD ... ... TO THE ..." FAIRER SEX " ... (HAR!HAR!HAR!)... ... THE "EVENT" ... ? ... HAD BEEN CARE - FULLY ... "STAGED" ... ? ... MEANT FOR ... ? "PUBLIC CONSUMPTION" ... ... " L U C I F E R "... ? ... WAS ... ? " SHOWING - OFF "... ... FOR HER ... E X - GIRL-FRIEND ... "SARAH" ... ... DEMONSTRATING ... ? FOR ... " ALL PRESENT " ... ? ... THAT SHE HAD ... ONCE , AGAIN ... "SWITCHED SIDES" ... ? ... AND ... ? WAS NOW ... ? "BATTING ... FOR THE "OTHER" TEAM " ... !!! " ... SEEEEEEE ....? EVERY - BODY ... ? ... I'M A " L - E - S - B - I - A - N " ... NOW ... !!!! ... A "SISTER OF SAPPHO "... ... A "BULL - DAGGER " ... !!!! ... A " BULL - DYKE " ... ... A " DIESEL - DYKE " ... ... A "DYKE ON A BIKE "... !!!! ... I HATE ... A L L ... MEN ... IN GENERAL ... ? ... AND ... ? " B I G - M I K E "...? IN PARTICULAR ... !!!". ... DURING FRIDAY'S RE-HEARSAL ... AT HER FRIEND ... ? ... MICHELLE'S PLACE ... GRAND ARMY PLAZA , PARK SLOPE, ... BROOKLYN ... ? ... A N A ... ? ... HAD INSISTED ON CHANGING THE REFERENCE ... ? ... FROM ... "FAUX-MAUX"... ? ... TO CARMEN MIRANDA ... ... SHE ENTERS STAGE LEFT ... DRESSED AS ... ... " L U C I F E R "... !!!! ... SHE HAD ALSO INSISTED UPON CHANGING THE " NOM DE PLUME " ... ? ... OF THE CENTRAL CHARACTER'S NAME ... ? ... FROM ... " B E T T Y " ... BACK TO THE ORIGINAL ... ... " L U C I F E R "... !!! ... A N A ... ? ... WAS A "DEAD" - RINGER FOR ..." L U C I F E R "... !!! ... EVEN EMILIO ... ? ... THE VIDEO - GRAPHER ... ... FROM MANHATTAN NEIGHBORHOOD NET WORK ... ... AND TRIBES GALLERY ... ... WHO H A D BEEN THE VIDEO -GRAPHER AT THE DE- FUNCT ... ... LEGENDARY PUNK - ROCK PALACE ... THE MUDD CLUB ... ... IN THE SEVENTIES ... ? ... COMMENTED UPON HOW "AUTHENTIC" A N A ... LOOKED ... ... AS " L U C I F E R " ... !!! ... THE HARD - CORE PUNK - ROCKER ... !!!! ... A N A ... WORE BLACK OVERALL /SHORTS ... ... LIKE BAVARIAN LEDERHOSEN ... ... MY OLD , SCUFFED BLACK COMBAT -STYLE ... ... TIMBERLAND BOOTS ... ... AND AN OLD BLACK FEDORA ... PERFECT ... !!! ... THE BASS ... AND THE BRASS ... FROM THE ...? ... DRUMMERS ' CIRCLE ... CONTINUED TO REVERBERATE IN ... THE BAND - SHELL ... UTILIZING THE STRUCTURE'S ... ... NATURAL ACOUSTICS ... ... THE SINGLE MICROPHONE ... SINGLE AMP ... ... CONTINUED TO "FEED - BACK" ... ? ... BUT THE TWO OF US ... BRAVELY ... ... PLUGGED AWAY ... AT THE SCRIPT ... !!!! ... A N A ... ? ... PORTRAYING ... "MISS CARMEN MIRANDA" ... ? ... HUNG A DRESS ABOUT HER NECK ... ... AND PERCHED A FRUIT BASCKET ... ON HER HEAD ... ... AND VAGUELY ATTEMPTED A SPANISH - AMERICAN ACCENT ... ... SHE HELD UP A PAPIER - MACHE ' ... ... HALLOWEEN DECORATION BLACK CAT ... ? ... AND A PAIR OF SCISSORS ... ? ... TO REPRESENT THE TERM ... ? ... "SHAVED - PUSSY" ... !!!! ... AND A DISPENSER BOTTLE OF "MURPHY'S OIL SOAP" ... ? ... FOR A "BRAZILIAN WAX" ... !!! ... SHE BOUGHT A PLUSH STUFFED "BULL - DOG" ... ... FROM THE PARK SLOPE ... "SALVATION ARMY " THRIFT - STORE ... ... AND A PIRATE'S PLASTIC CUT - LASS ... ? ... TO REPRESENT A ... " B U L L - D A G G E R " ...!!!! ... THEN LASHED OUT AT ME ... WITH THE CUT - LASS ... ... ATTEMPTING ... A MEDICALLY - UN- APPROVED CASTRATION ... ... WITH - OUT THE BENEFIT ... OF ANAESTHESIA ... !!!! ... PERHAPS ...? ... A N A ... ? ... IS ... IN - DEED ... ? ... A CREATIVE - ARTIST ... G E N I U S ... ???!!! ... AFTER ALL ... ? ... SHE D I D ... ? GO TO THE SORBONNE ... IN PARIS ... ? ... YOU KNOW ... ? ... AFTER OUR DIALOGUE ... ? ... I FINISHED - UP MY TWENTY / THIRTY MINUTE FEATURE ... ... RECITING A COUPLE OF MORE PERFORMANCE POEMS ... ... REFERENCING ... ? ... A CERTAIN ... ? ... " BORN - AGAIN " CHRISTIAN HEAVY - METAL GOTH ROCKER - CHICK ... !!!! " ... IF YOUR BLESS - ED LITTLE ... ? " A N A " ... ? ... SHOWED - UP IN NEW YORK ... ? ... AND SAID THAT SHE WANTED YOU BACK ... ? ... WOULD YOU LEAVE ... ? " M E " ... ???!! ... AND GO RUNNING BACK TO THAT ... THAT ... ? ... DUTCH P R O S T I T U T E ... ??? !!!!". " ... NO OF COURSE , NOT , " D E A R '... !!!! " . " ... YOU'RE A LIAR ... !!!! ". " ...YOU CALLIN' ME ... ? A L I A R ... ???!!!!". ... SHE WAS RIGHT ... OF COURSE ... !!! ... I DID GO RUNNING RIGHT BACK TO THAT LITTLE DUTCH WHORE .... ... THAT I SO DEEPLY LOVED .... ... THAT I WILL ALL - WAYS LOVE , ' TIL I DIE ... !!! ... LATER ... ? OUT IN PARK SLOPE .... THE FLAT BUSH AVENUE EXTENSION ... ... WE ATE AT THE LAST OPEN LUNCHEONETTE ... RUN BY ARABS ... ... SOME CRAZY , DRUNKEN HOME - LESS BLACK , CRACK - HEAD APPROACHED US ... ... HE SAID A N A ... ? LOOKED JUST LIKE " MARLENA DIETRICH " ... ? ... AND I ... ? LOOKED JUST LIKE ... " STEPHEN KING " ... !!!". .