Well, I'm going to read a poem called "Impotence,"
that requires a disclaimer.
So remember the biographic fallacy.
I get to tell a story first, there's
a wonderful poet named John Logan, I suspect he's read here
or at least you know his work.
A number of years ago he wrote a review
for the Chicago Review, a review of a book by Edward Dahlberg,
a book called Because I Was Flesh.
And in that review Logan said this
is a book about man's old hell with his prick,
so a short time later there was a University of Chicago
faculty party and a couple of young professors
got a hold of Mr Logan and I said, gee,
we thought your review was marvelous,
but one thing bothered us, why did you have to use that word?
Why couldn't you have said penis?
And Logan is supposed to replied,
because no one ever had any trouble with his penis.
[LAUGHTER]
So this is called "Impotence."
Suddenly her breast has never been larger.
All night she's been on your back.
How can you tell her your testicles have fallen off?
It's serious, all right.
It's just the beginning.
When the balls go can the penis be long behind?
[LAUGHTER]
Soon Steve, you'll be left with nothing but scar tissue.
Where once you were the cock of the walk--
it gets worse--
[LAUGHTER]
Soon you'll be the laughing stock of Niagara Falls.
It's no delight you've got yourself over this barrel.
You know how far down it was from the beginning.
All those years you were combing it out of your hair,
the hair itself was falling out.
If now you're exposed--
it was an awkward place to end the line, wasn't it?
If now you're exposed as the foolish romantic, why?
That's what you deserve, foolish romantic.
You wanted orgasm in repose.
You wanted love without memory.
You earnestly desired beautiful women in bondage,
their feelings held hostage.
And for a while there you were right in the thick of it.
Now, you have the lowest membership of all.
Now, you are nothing anyone would love.
Now, you were a figure of total submission.
So what if you could do anything once?
Why are you even bringing up these matters of taste?
Now, the end is near.
Now, you limp along.
Goodbye A, goodbye B. Don't hate me
C. Farewell D. I'm not letting you go,
just turning you over for a while.
[APPLAUSE]
This is very funny, isn't it?