COME OUT TONIGHT
by Steven Jesse Bernstein

m4a : as performed by SJB, 1991

FORECAST IN CHROME AND PLASTIC. TYRANTS
BREATHING ALLOY OF SLAVERY, PLANET HUNGER,
VERSIONS OF JACKIE O. SHERRY, SHERRY BABY, WON'T
YOU COME OUT TONIGHT? AND THE STARS WHISPER
LIKE OLD BLOOD AT THE EDGES OF THE BODY OF NIGHT.
SHE STOOD WITH ONE HAND ON THE PHONE FOR FOUR
HOURS, POISED AS THOUGH ONLY A FEW SECONDS
HAD PASSED. I WATCHED HER THROUGH THE CRACK
BETWEEN THE SHADE AND THE SILL. SHE WAITED FOR
A FORECAST IN HUMAN TREMBLING, TOGETHER WITH
OTHER IMPORTANT WOMEN. COME, COME, COME OUT
TONIGHT. THE WORLD SUFFERS FOR HER: THE CLOCK
HURRIES LIKE A TERRIFIED ANIMAL, THEN STOPS,
DRIBBLING SALIVA. SHE HAS EATEN CHICKEN PIE AND
BUBBLEGUM. FOR A MONTH THE LUFTWAFFE LIVED ON
RAISINS. SAME WITH THE FRENCH, AFTER THE WAR.
JACKIE O RECEIVED FRESH ORANGES FROM JOHN
KENNEDY. SILLY GIRL. SHE CANNOT PUT DOWN THE
TELEPHONE RECEIVER. SHE IS WAITING TO RECEIVE MY
BODY OF WORK. SHE WANTS TO TAKE IT IN HER EAR. A
MOTTLED FLUSH BUILDS UNDER HER CHEEKS. SHE EATS
XMAS CANDY WHILE SHE WAITS. THE TELEPHONE RINGS
AND RINGS. I AM NOT AT HOME. I AM WITH JACKIE O.
WE ARE EATING ORANGES FROM THE PRESIDENT. WE
ARE ALONE ON THE ROOF OF A PARK AVENUE
PENTHOUSE. PICTURE OF MARILYN MONROE IN MY
BACK POCKET MOLDED BY HEAT AND SWEAT TO THE
SHAPE OF MY BUTTOCKS. YOU ARE GRIPPING THE
PHONE SMILING, EATING CANDY, CRYING. I AM WITH
THE IMPORTANT WOMEN, NOW. I AM SECRETLY AN
IMPORTANT MAN. HANG UP THE PHONE. I CAN'T
DANCE WITH YOU ANYMORE. GO TO YOUR FREEZER
AND GET A POPSICLE. GO TO YOUR TV. TURN ON YOUR
TV. YOU WILL SEE ME AND JACKIE O. SHE WILL BE
TAKING IT IN THE EAR, MY BODY OF WORK. IN THE
PLANETARIUM. YOU WILL RECEIVE A FORECAST. I WILL
ALWAYS BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU. YOU WILL
NEVER BE IMPORTANT ENOUGH. YOU WILL NEVER BE
ON THE WHIP-HAND END OF SLAVERY, NEVER BE THE
ONE TO WIELD HUNGER AGAINST HUMANITY. HEAVEN
WILL NEVER BE AN EXTENSION OF YOUR BODY. YOUR
BODY WILL ALWAYS BELONG TO SOMEONE ELSE. THE
PICTURE OF MARILYN MONROE FLUTTERS ACROSS THE
ROOF, STEAMING, SHAPED LIKE ME. SHAPED LIKE MY
ASS. THE SKY IS FILLED WITH ORANGES DURING THE
WAR. WE EAT THEM. THE PRESIDENT IS ALONE IN A
ROOM. HE IS UNIMPORTANT. AS WE EAT HIS ORANGES
THE SKY GROWS BLACKER. THE MOON RIPENS AND
TURNS RED. IT ROTS AND IS SWALLOWED BY THE
DARKNESS. YOU ARE STILL BY THE PHONE. IT IS RINGING
AND RINGING, DEAD. SHERRY, SHERRY BABY, WON'T
YOU COME OUT TONIGHT? IT IS COMPETELY DARK.
THE EARTH FREEZES. YOU PUT DOWN THE RECEIVER
AND GO TO THE WINDOW. COME, COME, COME OUT
TONIGHT.

1989