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When one looks in the box, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the cat.

Reactor

Original Fiction short fiction

I Speak Fluent Giraffe: The Love Song of S. Alvador Dali

The creative grumblings of Jason Henninger.

Illustrated by Brian Elig

By

Published on January 18, 2010

The Love Song of S. Alvador Dali

 

 

Let us go then, I and me,
When the moon is persistent as memory
Like a clock etherized upon a branch;
Let us go, through certain half-desserts and treats,
The muttering defeats
Of dressless lions and one-leg swarming ants
And spindle-kneed parades of elephants:
that follow like a tedious placement
Of insipid symbology
To lead you to an underwhelming question . . .
Oh, do not ask, “What did you say?”
I wouldn’t tell you anyway.

In the room the critics come and meet
Talking of Rene Magritte…

And indeed there will be time
To wonder, “Do I care?” and, “Do I care?”
Time to bug my eyes out when I stare,
Painting bald spots in the middle of my hair—
[They will say: “How his hair is growing skin!”]
My moustache curling, like tiny elephant trunks on my cheeks,
My voice is loud and pompous, and asserted when anyone speaks—

Do I dare
Observe the universe?
In a canvas there is space
For Quixotes and Pianos which sopranos will erase.

For I have known everything already, known it all:
Have known the crutches, elbows, elephants
I have measured out my coffee spoon’s irrelevance…

I should have been a pair of distended breasts
Sagging across the crease of crooked crutches.

I have seen the moment of my greatness inflate,
And I have seen the man eternal coat my foot with snickers,
And in short, it all felt great.

I grow surreal. . .I grow surreal,
I shall paint Shirley Temple on a glockenspiel.

Shall I sign my students’ work?
Painting ceilings, like Chagall?
I shall mass-produce my paintings to be sold in every mall.
I have heard the fratboys hang me
on the wall.


For more of Jason Henninger’s gumblings, see the I Speak Fluent Giraffe page.

About the Author

About Author Mobile

Jason Henninger

Author

I'm the assistant managing editor of Living Buddhism Magazine, fond of philosophical fiction, magical realism and good ol' farmboy-saves-the-world fantasy epics. I write short stories, poems and novels that my mother thnks are really great. Now, if I could just get my mom to work for a publisher, I'd be set. Oh and here's a really outdated clip of me contact juggling. It's a fun hobby and may some day win me the heart of Jennifer Connolly. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFphHR8u01A

Jason Henninger is the assistant managing editor of Living Buddhism magazine. His short fiction has appeared in the anthology Hastur Pussycat, Kill! Kill! and various ill-fated and short-lived webzines. He marvels that he's not caused the demise of Tor.com.

Learn More About Jason
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