Canadian Literature of the Vietnam War

An Online Anthology

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Halpern, Howard – “BUMP”

BUMP

Howard Halpern

TODAY
I BUMP INTO A FRIEND
WHO I NOTICED
(NOT TOO LONG AGO)
SOLICITING $.$$
FROM STUDENTS OF YORK UNIVERSITY
FOR BIAFRA

NOW I SAY TO HIM:
I DIDN’T KNOW YOU
WENT IN FOR STUFF
LIKE THAT

HE SAYS, YEAH
I’M TAKING AN INTEREST
IN WHAT’S HAPPENING
OUT IN THE WORLD

I SAY, GROOVY
AND I ASK HIM
HEY, ARE YOU GOING TO
MARCH
WITH THE GEEKS
ON SATURDAY

HE SAYS
YOU MEAN
VIETNAM

I SAY
YEAH

HE SAYS, MAN, ARE
YOU KIDDING
SATURDAY IS MY BIRTHDAY, AND
I’M HAVING A PARTY
COME OVER
AND WE CAN WATCH IT
ON THE NEWS
AFTER THEY DO
THE BIT
ABOUT THE FIGHTING

BUT HERE
I SCRATCH MY HEAD
I DON’T KNOW
WHAT TO SAY
BECAUSE
I WAS PLANNING
TO GO, MYSELF,
AND MARCH

I MIGHT, AFTER ALL,
GET ON
TV
JESUS
I HOPE SO
MY FRIEND
WOULD BE
JEALOUS
AS ALL
HELL

10/25/68

Halpern, Howard. “BUMP.” Storm Warning: The New Canadian Poets. Ed. Al Purdy. Toronto: McClelland, 1971. 70-71.

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