captain beefheart electricity

don van vliet SINGING INK
poetry and fine arts


 

'THE FIRST SCENE WAS THE BATHTUB RING...'

untitled poem
from 1970 insert (original usa release) LICK MY DECALS OFF, BABY album
reproduced 197? book THE LIVES AND TIMES OF CAPTAIN BEEFHEART 1st edition
reprinted 171280 magazine OOR vol.10 #25/26 holland

note: officially presented under the title:

(UNTITLED)

 
the first scene was the bathtub ring
and then out through the window
zoom...
a little boy cutting out paper dolls singing ring around
the rosey a rose jumped over a pansy into a mud puddle
with the sun in it
pan...
to the bathroom, the wall paper decorated with christmas
ornament stars repugnantly cheery to the degree of
nostalgic depression
a woman begins to disrobe
zoom...
in to the unkempt shabby underarm and large perspiration
tears on the enormous lit up breasts one dark and one light
light nearest the window, dark nearest the basin above an
inadequate light fixture below the latter breast
pan...
the tub ring
zoom...
to the ring on the finger obvious zen intent one ornament
began to move unnoticed by the near nude woman who
now nude and situated in the tub cringed at the ring
added hot water relaxed at this mixture pleased, splashed,
picked, sneezed, winked, wheezed, flatulated, bubbles popped
the tub returned to normal
the star began to silently rotate much like the lid
of a large mouth jar
jerky and very human being removed from this of course
and entirely on its own
this obviously an example of its picturesque physical
appearance, attitude and formation
alright then
the star recovered after the autopsy upon close analyzation
tipped the scales at 10,000 lbs. and was matched with
a metal very much like lead as we know it here
recovered on a mission that successfully returned from
venus in the late fall of 1975
the star had dropped and lodged just under the woman's armpit
only one point was visible


don van vliet 1970

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notes:
this is one of the THREE additional POEMS to the album lick my decals off, baby
it also was one of the poems gary lucas recited during the 1980-81 'doc at the radar station' live performances

tip! if you like you can click clack to the other poems right away:
noon bouncin' ball
you should know by the kindness of uh dog the way uh human should be
or the untitled painting on the back cover:
'lick my decals off, baby'

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the REPRINT in the magazine oor #25/26 was part of the christmas special
gekraakt! door [...] captain b. en tientallen handlangers
which also included a picture / drawing:
to ac
and a drawing
without title


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click clack back to the singing ink, return to the power station or search on


captain beefheart electricity
as felt by teejo

^