Venice (Elegies) - Betty Buckley

The former lover of my lover

Was a sophisticated Pole, named Bolek

Not polite, he’d join Arthur and me for dinner

Looking distracted and thinner

He’d take a bite of his rare delicious lamb chop

And say, «Really, Billy, this has gotta stop.»

I’d say, «What's gotta stop?»

He’d say, «You're being a dick.»

I’d say, «Bolek.»

He’d say, «Billy?

I’d say, «Bolek.»

He’d say, «What?»

That then was the night I knew that Bolek was sick

He’d say

«We got to go to Venice

Because in Venice everyday life’s a work of art

And must be seen first hand

Breathe deep, our destination’s Venice

Beauty and pleasure is all we can hope to understand.»

So Arthur says, «What's wrong with Bolek?»

And I think finally he sees what I see

What’d I see?

Well, the truth is, it doesn’t matter

All you have to know is he grew thinner, I grew fatter

And later on, as we strolled along down Broadway

Bolek thought he saw a gun

And whacked a wacko in the ass

Bolek took off down the street

Chased by this dangerous guy

I yelled, «Bolek.»

He kept fleeing

I yelled, «Bolek!»

He yelled, «What?»

And then he turned around

And then he sang to the sky:

«My friends, I’m taking you to Venice

Because in Venice everyday life’s a work of art

And must be seen first hand

Breathe deep.

The world revolves 'round Venice

Beauty and pleasure is all we can hope to understand.»

So we went to Venice

Jumped in the canals

Three unlikely pals

In Venice

St. Mark’s Square

That is where

We prepare

To be awed

Here in the city where I feel the presence of God

In truth, we never went to Venice

Yeah, we said we would, but Bolek died too quickly

Second truth: this, whatever it is, he’d hate it

He would mutter, «bourgeois shit» and «please incinerate it»

«Oh, go to hell, Bolek,» I’d yell like a madman

But of guys who liked me least, I liked him best

I see a gondola float, Bolek’s inside and at rest

Then the gondolier starts singing

Bolek joins in, strong and deep

And all the world’s in song just as I hum off to sleep

My friends, I’m taking you to Venice

Because in Venice everyday life’s a work of art

And must be seen first hand

Life ends, but nothing ends in Venice

Beauty and pleasure is all we can hope to understand

Beauty and pleasure is all we can hope to understand

In Venice

Venice