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.