Saint Matthew Kills His Father And Mother
for Jean-Paul Sartre on his 67th birthday
When saint matthew was born in this world
there came to him fairies three
a bonny boy will he be
a learned boy will he be
a murderer of his family
by day his mother will give tearful bread
by night her sweet body she’ll give in bedsaint matthew lives in this world
he and the world bonnily
he and the world learnedly
the world fares bloodily
it’s not nice in dreams
it’s not nice when awake
death to the bourgeoisiea student to matthew said
the world has got a swelled head
its learning is trumpeted
go cut yourself some bread
it’s not you but another
brimming with blood
beside your wife in her bedit’s not nice in dreams
it’s not nice when awake
all will be calm
when the noisy blood’s run away
death to the bourgeoisiean old man to matthew said
this world will explode
into that black learning
it never blesses the bread
it’s not you but another
with hungry blood
beside your wife in her bedit’s not nice in dream
it’s not nice when awake
there’ll be less fear then
when words drink the blood
death to the bourgeoisie
Translated by Michael Scammell
Page(s) 264-265
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