WEBVTT

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Next poem's called "The
Beginning of April."

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I wrote it April, two years ago.

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The country that's mentioned
in it, the war that

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was going on then was Biafra.

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Last April I could have written
the same poem about Bengal.

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This year I guess about Belfast.

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You just keep going with B wars.

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"I feel terribly strong today.

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It's like the time I
arm wrestled a friend

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and beat him so badly
I sprained his wrist

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or when I made a woman
who was really beautiful

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love me when she didn't want to.

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It must be the warm weather.

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I think I could smash bricks
with my bare hands or screw

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until I was half out of my mind.

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The only trouble--

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Jesus, the only
trouble is I keep

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thinking about a kid I
saw starving on television

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last night from Biafra.

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He was unbearably fragile.

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His stomach puffed up, arms and
legs sticks, eyes distorted.

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What if I touch somebody like
that when I was this way?

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I can feel him going
stiff under my hands.

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I can feel his belly
bulging ready to pop,

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his pale hair disengaging
from its roots

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like something awful and alive.

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Please, I won't hurt you.

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I want you in my arms.

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I want to make something for
you to eat like warm soup.

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Look.

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I'll chew the meat for you
first in case your teeth ache.

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I'll keep everybody
away if you're sleeping

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and hold you next to me like a
little brother when we go out.

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I'm so cold now.

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What are we going
to do with all this?

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I promise I won't feel
myself like this ever again.

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It's just the spring.

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It doesn't mean anything.

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Please."

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