I Might Make Out With You

Wendy Mark & Paul Muldoon
Lori Bookstein Fine Art (2006)
Introduction by Adam Gopnik 
24 pages, 10 illustrations, 8 in color

THE BEECH HAS GIVEN UP
IT JUST LAID DOWN ITS ARMS
TO THE CUTTING CREW
IT MISSED THE PHOTO-OP
IN THAT RARE BOOK ROOM
OFF FIFTH AVENUE
THE BEECH HAS BENT THE KNEE
TO THE BONUS DVD
THE BEECH HAS GOT THE LOOK
OF BEING A CLOSED BOOK
BUT I STILL TAKE THE VIEW
I MIGHT MAKE OUT WITH YOU

THE YEW HAS GIVEN UP
SUBMITTED WITH GOOD GRACE
LIKE I'M MEANT TO DO
IT MISSED THE MOUNTAINTOP
IT FELL UNDER ITS CROSS
LIKE ALL THE OTHER YEWS
THAT EVER KNUCKLED DOWN
ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF TOWN

THE YEW HAS SHUT THE DOOR
IN MY FACE MORE AND MORE
BUT I STILL TAKE THE VIEW
I MIGHT MAKE OUT WITH YOU

FOR IT SEEMS NO TIME SINCE THE WHISKEY-A-GO-GO
GAVE WAY TO THE SAFETY PIN AND THE POGO
WITH SIOUXSIE SIOUX
AND THOUGH YOU'VE INCORPORATED A CORPORATE LOGO
I'M STILL TRYING TO MAKE OUT WHY IT'S STILL A NO-GO
I MIGHT MAKE OUT WITH YOU

THE OAK HAS GIVEN UP
I GUESS IT'S COME TO TERMS
WITH YOUR BUICK RENDEZVOUS
IT MISSED THE BODY SHOP
THEY'VE REDONE YOUR DASHBOARD TRIM
SO IT LOOKS LIKE NEW
THE OAK HAS MADE IT CLEAR
ALL THIS IS A VENEER

THE OAK'S RESIGNED ITSELF
TO BEING ON THE SHELF
BUT I STILL TAKE THE VIEW
I MIGHT MAKE OUT WITH YOU

BY PAUL MULDOON