Earle Birney > Quotes

“The Sun never sets. It is we who rise think to shine. ”
― Earle Birney

“Since we had always sky about,
when we had eagles they flew out
leaving no shadow bigger then wrens'
to trouble our most aeromantic hens.
Too busy bridging loneliness to be alone
we hacked in ties what Emily etched in bone.
We French, we English, never lost our civil war,
Endure it still, a bloodless civil bore;
No wounded lying about, no Whitman wanted.
It's only by our lack of ghosts we're haunted.”
― Earle Birney

“Billboards Build Freedom of Choice

Yegtit?
Look See.
AMERICA BUILDS BILLBOARDS
so billboards kin bill freedoma choice
between-yeah between billbores no
WAIT
its yedoan hafta chose no more between
say like trees and billbores lessa course
wenna buncha trees is flattint out inta
BILLB-
yeah yegotit
youkin pick between well
hey! see! like dat!
ALL VYNIL GET WELL DOLLS $6.98
or-watch wasdat comin up?
PREPAID CAT?
PREPAID CATASTOPHE COVERAGE
yeah hell youkin have damnear anythin
FREE 48 INCH TV IN EVERY ROOM
see! or watchit!
OUR PIES TASTE LIKE MOTHERS
yeah but look bud no chickenin out
because billbores build
AM-
yeah an AMERICA BUILDS MORE
buildbores to build more-
sure yougotta! yugotta have
FREEDOM TO
hey!...”
― Earle Birney, One Muddy Hand: Selected Poems