5/11/66
1:46 P.M.

The Old Village Before I Die

Entering Minetta's soft yellow chrome, to the

bathroom
acrid 22 years ago gold kid wrote

humankind-ness
against human-kindness on enamel urinal

before Crane's match --
Christmas subway, lesbian slacks, friend bit

someone's earlobe off
tore gold ring from queer ear, weeping, vomited --
My first drunk nite flashed here, Joe Gould's

beard grey
('a professional bore' said Bill cruelly) -- but as I was

less than twenty,
New scene rayed eternal -- caricatures

of ancient comedians
framed over checkertabled booths, first here

struck my heart heavy

(continued)