The Balloon is Where the Party's At Press

I think I may need to hunt down more early poetry by Tomaz Salamun:


I HAVE A HORSE

I have a horse. My horse has four legs.

I have a record player. On my record player I sleep.

I have a brother. My brother is a sculptor.

I have a coat. I have a coat to keep me warm.

I have a plant. I have a plant to have green in my room.

I have Maruska. I have Maruska because I love her.

I have matches. With matches I light cigarettes.

I have a body. With my body I do the most beautiful things that I do.

I have destruction. Destruction causes me many troubles.

I have night. Night comes to me through the window of my room.

I have fun racing cars. I race cars because car racing is fun.

I have money. With money I buy bread.

I have six really good poems. I hope I will write more of them.

I am twenty-seven years old. All these years have passed like lightning.

I am relatively courageous. WIth this courage I fight human stupidity.

I have a birthday March seventh. I hope March seventh will be a nice day.

I have a friend whose daughter's name is Breditza. In the evening when they put

her to bed she says Salamun and falls asleep.

**
When I read this poem for the first time it made my day.

Yusef Komunyakka is reading for the Poetry Society of America this evening.

And tomorrow, Tuesday at 7pm: Amy Ouzoonian, Gabriella Santoro, Jennifer Blowdryer, Sarah Herrington, Tara Betts and special guests
Rapture Café and Books
200 Avenue A (near 13th Street)

I'm still going to the MV & EE show tonight. Tomorrow I'm having a picnic in Central Park. I'm supposed to "find people by the balloon." This makes it sound like I will never find anyone I'm looking for in Central Park. Especially because the person bringing the balloon for us to find isn't quite sure where to go. I'm bringing dessert and a blanket. I hope someone brings a baseball. Frisbee is stupid.