When I first met Gregory Corso
he told me
"I DON'T DISCUSS POETRY!!!!!"
and he was
obnoxious
and I was
afraid to be around him lest he get me killed
because
he'd say these things
my gawd
such as
telling the waitress at "Princess Pamela's" that she "looked like a man."
just-before-she-served-us-our-food.
Now
you've got to admit
that calls for balls.
And yet
he went through his life unharmed
forgiven by his friends for his every sin
even as he was commiting them
and I'll never forget what he told me
as he stole forty dollars from Marty Matz
who was passed out on my kitchen floor
stuffing several twenties back into Marty's pocket
Gregory looked up at me and said
"Never take it all."
© 2001 Anne Lombardo Ardolino