after reading plimpton’s book about capote

I love you Truman Capote

sitting at the dinner table with your hat on

is there a pillow under your bum?

white linen suit, smudges

 

Oh Truman

how you tried and won

kicked their asses and kissed some

laughter below deck, blushes

 

how they made you sing

for your supper

 

Truman

who cares that your brain shrunk

burned out on pills and martinis?

I care

I hug you like a brother

Truman, what do they do to us?

 

Truman

as always you were too big for us

them, yourself, the world

what’s a little brain shrinkage amongst friends?

 

mumbling incantations like the wild New York Cassandra

you are

 

we hold these curses to be self-evident

 

Truman sing!

don’t give a fuck

we gave them all the fucks we had

if they didn’t want them

fucking too bad!

 

I love you Truman Capote

we are so unlike you and I

cept for the wish – the need, the curse – to disappear

and a little drama

queen.