Dockside with Bing

The pilings had to give way
eventually

the river can only be resisted
for so long

now the planks slope down
into the water

and the river laughs gently
against the broken joke

Suddenly, though, there’s Bing
standing in water
up to his shoulders

Suddenly there’s Bing singing
“would you like to swing on a star
carry moonbeams home in a jar
would you rather not go that far
or would you rather be a fish”

then he looks up at me
like I’m Bob Hope or something
and says in a way
that seems a little out of character

“Fuck the stars
fuck light that takes forever to get here
be a fish
be a fish
be a fish, boy, swim”

–1992