As Gregory Corso Said

“Out the Window with the Window!”

We are having a garage sale on January 17. We scan the premises, gather things into piles and scurry them out to the shelves, tables and drawers in the garage.

There is a huge amount of junk laying around the property. We do what we can to keep the garbage down over the years, but it does collect.

Witness: a teddy bear, books, CD’s, shelves, a dorm fridge, two pairs of rollerblades, cups, baskets on end, a television, a boom box, a tape deck, tons of canvasses, framed prints, pet-phenalia including a dog carrier, pet bowls, leash, collar, shampoo, door gates, bowls, clippers, clothes, shoes, sparkles, party poppers, a plastic yellow egg, a glass bird, a big clay bird, a coffee press, silverware, an ashtray, linens, a pillow, shelves, tennis rackets, Trivial Pursuit, Clue, a circular saw, lawn furniture, 11-cup Cuisinart food processor, sunglasses, old cassettes, alarm clock radio, a couple of land telephones, a Styrofoam cooler and so much more to collect.

It’s ridiculous. How did we end up with all this stuff?

Much of it we bought. And much of it was from well meaning gift givers over the years.

It’s a party. Nice to lighten the load. I suggest it.

The Whole Mess ... Almost

BY GREGORY CORSO

I ran up six flights of stairs
to my small furnished room
opened the window
and began throwing out
those things most important in life

First to go, Truth, squealing like a fink:
“Don’t! I’ll tell awful things about you!”
“Oh yeah? Well, I’ve nothing to hide ... OUT!”
Then went God, glowering & whimpering in amazement:
“It’s not my fault! I’m not the cause of it all!” “OUT!”
Then Love, cooing bribes: “You’ll never know impotency!
All the girls on Vogue covers, all yours!”
I pushed her fat ass out and screamed:
“You always end up a bummer!”
I picked up Faith Hope Charity
all three clinging together:
“Without us you’ll surely die!”
“With you I’m going nuts! Goodbye!”

Then Beauty ... ah, Beauty—
As I led her to the window
I told her: “You I loved best in life
... but you’re a killer; Beauty kills!”
Not really meaning to drop her
I immediately ran downstairs
getting there just in time to catch her
“You saved me!” she cried
I put her down and told her: “Move on.”

Went back up those six flights
went to the money
there was no money to throw out.
The only thing left in the room was Death
hiding beneath the kitchen sink:
“I’m not real!” It cried
“I’m just a rumor spread by life ... ”
Laughing I threw it out, kitchen sink and all
and suddenly realized Humor
was all that was left—
All I could do with Humor was to say:
“Out the window with the window!”