'Sleeve Notes (for Lenny Bruce)'

A stitch in time saves nine, they say
But Baby, you ripped both the sleeves off my jacket

Screw it.
There's a big black hole in my left side
Between the muscle that's tense
When you stand-up straight, and my rib

Where the courage is kept
That's where the fear moved in
- but does not live

Maybe it takes me to go up and see
The seamstress on the hill with a gift
Or the hooker in the corn with stacks and plenty
Jackdaws with blood on their beaks, and their lips
Or maybe pay me a call to Goodwill
To settle my bill, then
empty my pockets in court, and by my life,
Try to shtup the scales and tip the windmills
of the world.

No matter, I'm an illness
- come, come and catch me tomorrow
You can shake me, but I am no fake
See? No sleeves, there's nothing up 'em
but beautiful, bare arms.