I
I resign!
My son has my father’s eyes,
My mother’s hands,
And my own mouth.
There is no further need of me. Many thanks.
The refrigerator is beginning to hum toward
a long journey.
An unknown dog sobs over the loss of a stranger.
I resign!
II
I paid my dues to so many funds.
I am fully insured.
Let the world care for me now;
I am knotted and tied with it and all of them.
Every change in my life will cost them cash.
Every movement of mine will hurt them.
My death will dispossess them.
My voice passes with clouds.
My hand, stretched out, has turned into paper. Yet
another contract.
I see the world through the yellow roses
Someone has forgotten
On the table near my window.
III
Bankruptcy!
I declare the whole world to be a womb.
And as of this moment
I appoint myself,
Order myself
At its mercy.
Let it adopt me. Let it care for me.
I declare the President of the United States to be
my father,
The Chairman of the Soviet Union to have my power
of attorney,
The British Cabinet to be my family,
And Mao Tse-tung to be my grandmother.
I resign!
I declare the heavens to be God.
They all together go ahead and do those things
That I never believed they would.
