Paul Muldoon characterized his work for the Rosenbach Alphabet as a “rock lyric” & he assures me that it really is intended to be printed all in caps. This is particularly fitting, perhaps, for a writer whose current CD is Paul Muldoon Unplugged & who co-wrote the title song of Warren Zevon’s CD My Ride’s Here with the late rocker. In addition to his day job at Princeton, Muldoon is Professor of Poetry at Oxford University. Muldoon’s ninth book, Moy Sand and Gravel, won the Pulitzer Prize in 2003. Muldoon had the 17^th letter in the Rosenbach Alphabet – read the poem first & then figure it out.

 

 

ONLY THING

 

 

 

I’M A MAN WITH A FUTURE

 

YOU’RE A WOMAN WITH A PAST

 

WE LIVE FOR THE PRESENT

 

IT’S THE ONLY THING THAT LASTS

 

 

 

WHEN THEY DON’T RECALL

 

WHY PHILIP ROSENBACH                      

 

FOUND HIMSELF AMONG A CAST

 

OF THOUSANDS AT THE FALLS

 

OR HOW THOSE PLAQUES

 

TO THE MISSING HAVE AMASSED

 

 

 

IT’S UNLIKELY, YOU’LL FIND,

 

ANYONE HAS KEPT IN MIND

 

 

 

 

I’M A MAN WITH A FUTURE

 

YOU’RE A WOMAN WITH A PAST

 

WE LIVE FOR THE PRESENT

 

IT’S THE ONLY THING THAT LASTS

 

 

 

THEY DON’T KNOW IF THE FUHRER

 

COULD REALLY AND TRULY

 

HAVE MOUNTED THOSE GYMNASTS

 

NOR ARE THEY ANY SURER

 

IF THE BIBLE IN LOGOOLI

 

FORETELLS FLOOD AND FAMINE-BLAST

 

 

 

I’M A MAN WITH A FUTURE

 

YOU’RE A WOMAN WITH A PAST

 

WE LIVE FOR THE PRESENT

 

IT’S THE ONLY THING THAT LASTS

 

 

 

 

YOU’RE STILL LOOKING FOR A STUDIO

 

TO OPTION GILGAMESH

 

I’M STILL GOING AGAINST THE FLOW

 

OF YOUR MICROMESH

 

YOU’RE STILL SAYING NO

 

I’M STILL GETTING FRESH

 

THOUGH JACKIE AND BO

 

HAVE GONE THE WAY OF ALL FLESH

 

 

 

THOUGH OUR QUERYING THE YONI’S

 

POSITION ON THE LINGAM

 

HAS SO MANY STAND AGHAST

 

AND THOUGH DE ACOSTA’S CONEY

 

AND GARBO’S GINGHAM

 

ARE BOTH FADING RATHER FAST

 

 

 

I’M STILL A MAN WITH A FUTURE

 

YOU’RE STILL A WOMAN WITH A PAST

 

 

 

WE LIVE FOR THE PRESENT

 

IT’S THE ONLY THING THAT LASTS