Dear Ted

DEAR TED BERRIGAN

I used to be a snob towards you


when i went to d.c.

i said something not nice about you

to a poet who idolized you


i'm sorry


i think i said i got everything

i need like that

from apollinaire long ago


that was a very catty thing to say


and later i realized


apollinaire was nice as unicorns go


but he was never unseemly

and you were


you insisted that poetry can be a career

which is probably the most unseemly thing

i can think of


also very brave


i mean poetry walking down the street

not poetry teaching poetry



i mean poetry barebacking



and of course only drugs can fund this

drugs and fellow addicts


only the street can keep poetry unseemly

and it must be


but what heartless beast does not do drugs?


anyway.


would you let such a creature in your bed?


if you were twenty-five?


i'm sorry i was mean


i like your unicorn


Ted


Your unicorn is amazing