BERNSTEIN, Charles

All the Whiskey in Heaven

Not for all the whiskey in heaven

Not for all the flies in Vermont

Not for all the tears in the basement

Not for a million trips to Mars

Not if you paid me in diamonds

Not if you paid me in pearls

Not if you gave me your pinky ring

Not if you gave me your curls

Not for all the fire in hell

Not for all the blue in the sky

Not for an empire of my own

Not even for peace of mind

No, never, I’ll never stop loving you

Not till my heart beats its last

And even then in my words and my songs

I will love you all over again.

In a Restless World Like This Is

Not long ago, or maybe I dreamt it

Or made it up, or have suddenly lost

Track of its train in the hocus pocus

Of the dissolving days; no, if I bend

The turn around the corner, come at it

From all three sides at once, or bounce the ball

Against all manner of bleary-eyed fortune

Tellers—well, you can see for yourselves there’s

Nothing up my sleeves, or notice even

Rocks occasionally break if enough

Pressure is applied. As far as you go

In one direction, all the further you’ll

Have to go on before the way back has

Become totally indivisible.

Sad Boy's Sad Boy

I ruin my hats and all the mat slides glad

I hop my girls and all is skip again

I jump I run you up inside my truck

The car goes looping out in dark and light

And yellow hat slides in

I run my mats and all the girl slides glad

I hoped you skipped me into luck

And jump me black, ruin me glad

I jump I run you up inside my truck

I jump my slopes and all the dopes slide glad

I glide my luck and all is slip again

I jump my hopes and all the rope glides sad

I skip you jump the way you said

But I run old and sigh your name

I ruin my mats and all the girl slides glad

At least when luck hops it skips back again

A rune my mats and all the girls slide glad

I jump I run you up inside my truck

After 'Mad Girl's Love Song' by Sylvia Plath