I Don't Believe in Occupational Goals 

I don't believe in occupational goals, student loans,
majority rules, saintliness of fools,
chemical mood enhancers or bad dancers,
I don't believe in Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot or any one man regime,
scientology, graphology, sociology, psychology or wet dreams,
I don't believe in gossip or the deification of the penis and
I don't believe in the Catholic church or the Torah
with its manifold injunctions on how to clip your nails,
don't believe that it's not success that matters but how
graciously you fail,
don't believe in cover-ups, sitting ducks or
cleaning up after someone because they say they love you.
I don't believe in absolutes, wearing suits, polishing fruits,
don't believe you can change anyone's mind but that never
stops me from trying,
don't believe in lying,
don't believe in solipsisms, head on collisions,
rational thinking, bitterness or shrinking.
I don't believe in tattoos that say "shit happens"
because shit doesn't happen,
even the smallest shit represents a long series of
applications of the laws of cause and effect.

I believe in comets, eclipses,
the gravitational pull of the moon and the stars,
I believe in destiny but at the same time believe it's all
a crapshoot,
I believe in gravity, Mohammed Ali and hanging out in bars,
believe in throwing all my cards on the table and fast cars.
I believe in the Holy Ghost and Moses
and the psalm that says make a joyful sound,
I believe if you're having trouble, slow down
and fuck em if they can't take a joke.
I believe in stretching and going for broke,
I believe in standing by my friends and
revelation, jubilation and elimination,
I believe in the means but also believe in transcendence at the end.






[Tsaurah Litzky/poem] [Jackie Lima/illustration]

links:

Tsaurah Litzky dot com
wnyc
new school
Long Shot
Tribute
Three the Hard Way
myspace bowery women
Lima at Kentler
Peace Show

© copyright Thin Ice Press 1998-2007
© copyright Tsaurah Litzky 1998-2007
© copyright Jackie Lima 1998-2007