I would like to read to you, perhaps,
now a few love poems because I think
it's the only thing really can do against the world.
But as it happens, and again, it's
one of the sad facts of our lives,
most love poems are quite sad because you write love poems
only after a love is over.
Most people would never write love poems
while they are in love.
And, also, might be in love, but by while they are at love--
while they are together because I think most poetry which
would be written by people who are in love and together
would be very boring and silly poetry.
And so it's one of the sad facts of our lives
that we need to lose something, we need to know constantly
is that we are about to lose something.
The whole finiteness of our lives
makes us actually fall in love because there
would be no love if there wouldn't be death
because otherwise people would live forever.
A man would need a woman in the street
and fall in love with her and really
be very crazy in his love to her, wanting her and so on.
And she would tell him, no, I'm sorry.
I love someone else.
If it happens in our life, it can
be a very tragic and sad thing.
But if people would live forever,
so we'll say, OK, so in two million years we'll meet again
or something, which again is, of course--
so I'll read you--
I just, again, I really find myself constantly trying
to justify poetry at all because I've been so much attacked.
Like so many poems you asked me, why is your poetry so sad?
You don't seem sad.
You seem to be a happy man, so why is your poetry sad?
And why is love poem-- but love is such a beautiful thing.
Why are most love poems sad or at least quiet.
This poem is called "A Pity.
We Were Such a Good Invention."
"They amputated your thighs off my hips.
As far as I'm concerned, they are all surgeons--
all of them.
They dismantled us each from the other.
As far as I'm concerned, they're all engineers--
all of them.
They pity.
We were such a good and loving invention, an airplane
made from a man and wife--
wings and everything.
We hovered a little above the Earth.
We even flew a little."