from A CONEY ISLAND OF THE MIND

[I apologize to L. Ferlinghetti for failing to include the proper indentation, but I had to share the poem.]

14.

Don't let that horse
eat that violin

cried Chagall's mother

But he
kept right on
painting

And became famous

And kept on painting
The Horse With Violin In Mouth

And when he finally finished it
he jumped up upon the horse
and rode away
waving the violin

And then with a low bow gave it
to the first naked nude he ran across


And there were no strings
attached


--Lawrence Ferlinghetti