Squamous Last Blurreds

(At 10:40pm on December 8, 1980, John Lennon was shot and mortally wounded on 72nd Street, New York. Given his love of outrageous wordplay, this poem imagines his stream-of- consciousness utterings as the ambulance rushes him to hospital, moments before his death.) In my life I've loved them all Brian, Ono, Victor, Paul two of us Sunday driving not arriving bigger than Christ you know it ain't easy do what you darn well pleasy one banned band for sail standing on the dock in Southampton one careful onus Henry the Ford Cortina little old lady from Pasadena like a dog without a bonus keep playing that rock and roll music, naughty girl you let your frock ride up sorry Mimi getting steamy one thing you can't hide is when you're crippled inside I'm going to Strawberry Fields nothing is real banter, see, is paramount tantamount to fantasy inkspots on the platters menlove matters Cynthia fragrant Yoko flagrant I saw her standing there day after day he silently stands the fool on the hill with the troublesome glands seeing the glint from the German bint when she rattles her jewelry she's the one with the royal mint Tom Jones, tomfoolery Alma Cogan needs a slogan Cilla Killer she's a thriller chiller I'm just a jealous guy what's it all about no reply