Blaise Cendrars
from Nineteen Elastic Poems
10 Stop Press
OKLAHOMA, 20th January 1914
Three convicts have got hold of revolvers
They kill their jailer then seize the prison keys
Next they’ve broken out from their cells
The death toll rises as they shoot four of the guards in the yard
Meanwhile they’ve taken the girl-stenographer hostage
Outside the gate a carriage is waiting
Other guards empty their guns in the fugitives’ direction
As they drive off at top speed
Some guards leap on horseback and gallop in pursuit
A shooting match breaks out
The girl-stenographer is wounded by a stray bullet
Another bullet kills the horse that’s pulling the coach
The guards can now approach
They find the convicts’ bodies riddled with bullet-holes
Mr Thomas, former member of Congress and a prison-visitor,
Offers the girl-stenographer his congratulations
Poem-telegram, stop press from Paris-Midi
Translated by Martin Bennett
Page(s) 169-170
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