cover collage walter beckers copyright 2001 the 22 year old cassius ...

TREES DECORATED BY JOHN GALLIANO I REMEMBER
FROM "THE MUTINY OF THE BOUNTY" I DECIDE TO INVENT
OTHER FLAGS ONLY BLACK FOR SHIPS NOW SAILING TO
IMPOSSIBLE DESTINATIONS BOUND TO BUY (FREE)
TICKETS TO VISIT FINALLY THE EASY ROLLING HILLSIDES
IN THE FORGOTTEN NOVELS BY MARK TWAIN WHICH
ALSO MUST BE LIES MADE FOR YOUR DEEP DREAMS
REGULATED BY UNITED NATIONS AMBASSADORS I
CONSIDER NOT WORTH TO CLEAN THE COBBLESTONES
WE WALK ON I HAVE BEEN LOOKING IN CAMBRIDGE FOR
KEYS WITH WHICH WE COULD MASSACRE THEIR FALSE
IMPERIUMS PICTURED ON POSTCARDS YOU SEND ON
HOLIDAYS TO FRIENDS TO SHOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE
YOU ARE STILL ALIVE AFTER SURVIVING ALL OF THE 280
WARS THAT HAVE OCCURRED FOR THE LAST TEN YEARS
SO YOU DESERVE A MEMORIAL WHERE YOU CAN DANCE
ON TECHNO WHILE ASTEROIDS ARE HITTING
SOMEWHERE OUR EARTH WHICH MAKES ME CONSIDER
THIS MUST BE INTERSTELLAR BABYLON DURING THAT
DEVINE HOLLYWOOD SCENE WHEN ANDY GARCIA
KNOCKS DOWN RICHARD GERE HIS CHIN JUST A LITTLE
OUT OF CENTRE WE NOTIFY THREE THIN BEADS OF
BLOOD ON HIS SENSUAL UNDERLIP WHEN AT THAT
PRECISE MOMENT I FELL IN LOVE WITH ANDY GARCIA AS
IF SHE WERE
MY LOVER AN INTENSE COINCIDENCE IN DISTRESS AS
BOTH OF US FEELING SO EXCITED BECAUSE OF THE
UNFAMILIAR SITUATION A MOMENTUM SWITCH-OFF
CONVINCING US WE WERE NO LONGER TO BE
CONSIDERED AS ACTORS FINDING PARADISE IN
MANZANILLAS LAS HADAS AFTER WEEKS OF
HONEYMOONING WE NO LONGER COULD IMAGINE WE
STILL COULD BE LOVERS WHICH AGAIN MADE US
BECOME PRACTICAL FLYING AWAY FROM EACHOTHER IN
OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND
MYSELF WHEN I AWOKE THE NEXT DAY AT THE VESUVIO
CAFÉ STILL TOO DRUNK TO RECOGNIZE THE FAMOUS
PICTURES OF JACK KEROUAC KISSING ALLEN GINSBERG
I ONLY COULD RELY ON HIS UPHOLSTERED ARMCHAIR TO
MAINTAIN ME WITH ANOTHER WILD GOOSE WHISKEY IN
MY LEFT HAND ALTHOUGH REALIZING I AM AN
EXHIBITIONIST TRYING AT MONZA SPEED (WHILE WRITING
OR READING) TO COLLECT THE BROKEN BONES OF MY
SAMPLED PORTRAITS LOST IN HYDE PARK
REMEMBERING THE SIXTIES' SILVERSTONE HEROES WHO
WERE BURNING TOO FAST IN THEIR SENSUAL MACHINES
AS GRILLED SARDINES ON ANOTHER GREY DAY WITHOUT
SEATBELTS AGAIN IT WAS NOT RAINING I MUST HAVE
BEEN CRYING ON MARGUERITE YOURCENAR'S PILLOW
ABSORBED AS I WAS WHEN HER LOVERBOY HADRIANUS
JOINED US IN HIS INVENTORY WHAT COULD BE HIS HOME
IN HEAVEN OR HEAVEN AT HOME WITH BANK OF
SCOTLAND CREDENTIALS TO BE RECYCLED ON THE
WRITING PAPER I THREW AWAY COPYING MY MISTAKES
OVER AGAIN IN EXCITING COOL BEDS IN UNFAMILIAR
PLACES WHERE ALL THE WINDOWS HAVE TO REMAIN
OPEN TO COOL OFF MY CHOKING RADIATOR NOT ABLE
TO FIND MYSELF LOST AS I FEEL AMIDST TOO MANY
INFORMAL IMPRESSIONS TRYING TO SAVE MY SHAKEN
BODY VOTING FOR SIX SATURDAYS IN A WEEK VISITING
THAT SMART TOUR OPERATOR WHICH SADE
RECOMMENDED ME FLYING WITH BRITISH AIRWAYS
DROPPING ME AND MY JETLAG SAFELY AT THE FIVE-
STAR WESTIN ST FRANCIS MY FARE INCLUDING CAR HIRE
WITH INSURANCE EVEN DOMESTIC SHUTTLE SERVICE
WHICH CAN BE CATASTROPHIC AS I NEVER RELY ON THE
NATIVES TOO ANGRY BECAUSE OF SHYNESS BUT
REBELLIOUS OF BEING UNDERPAID EXPECTING TO BE