JOHNNY O, MY DARLING
My heroes are imprisoned in myth
my existence is trammeled
God has been scourged from my body
I have slaughtered my son
nailed him to a rough-hewn cross
poured petrol over him
placed him as a beacon on the beach
in front of the big pavilion
where the shipowners sniff caviar
and I adorn their wives
with lovely, loose words
oh yes, to a certain extent
Im greatly appreciated
for now, raised to the status of myth,
I sample the battle
the battle against acid.
© Bart
FM Droog, 1998
© translation
John Irons, 2000
original title: Johnny o, my darling, from Deze dagen,
Passage
Publishing Company, Groningen, 1998