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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

Copyright © Michael Coy

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Book: Shattered Sighs