24.11.22

Emmett Williams



the last french-fried potato 

the ultimate poem, version two   (as improvised by robert filliou and emmett williams during the exhibition l’aujourd’hui de demain in the musée palais saint-vaast at arras, march 20, 1964. performers eat a french-fried potato before each improvised phrase. the poem lasts as long as the potatoes hold out.) no more hotdogs  plus de vrais amants no more wives  plus d’ensilage de maïs  no more bellybuttons plus d’éléphants no more tomorrows plus de beurre salé no more stupidity plus de lampes d’aladin no more feelings of guilt plus de ruches blanches no more children plus de sirènes no more ontological critics plus de rares classiques de ce siècle no more good intentions plus d’immaterialisation no more jealousy plus de piles wonders   no more knocking at the door plus de listes provisoires no more gin and tonic plus de lèvres  no more money
plus de participation cosmique  no more personal appearances plus de dindons no more hot baths plus de promenades no more holes in my shoes plus de camarades no more bodhidharma plus de collaboration no more bad dreams plus d’érotique d’abjection no more sugarbeets plus de nescafé no more thelonious monk plus de permis de pêche no more prayers plus de vieux linge no more answers plus de mimosas en fleur no more inspiration plus de greffes d’écorce no more limited editions plus de sémantique générale no more turtleneck sweaters plus de sang versé no more cats plus de filles d’acier no more dishwashing plus de tendresse no more foghorns plus de phénomènes paranormaux no more todays plus de plantes verte


The Last French-Fried Potato, Emmett Williams.

Originally published in 1967 as a Great Bear Pamphlet by Something Else Press.