“0”
by
David Berman
first published in Caliban #8, 1990
On the very first day Jah gave light,
and on the second he made the sun and the stars.
It wasn’t long before things were jumping out of the river.
Later there were some wars, mostly soft and bloodless,
with snow falling on the sleeping tanks
and pieces of field glued to their wheels.
No longer all right to eat our young,
we made the Empire State Building and threw things off it,
then drank sidecars and Harvey Wallbangers until 1961.
People were heard to say that the world doesn’t care,
that the walls don’t listen, and the stars only shine on us
because we’re in the way of their light,
but the world continued to spin on its sturdy axis,
and underneath the Christmas trees the trains still ran on time,
while people united in sexual congress let pride feed.
Biblioklept 
As is the case with so many extraordinary artists and writers, Biblioklept introduced me to the writings of David Berman, for which I am grateful. I suppose I’d kinda always been peripherally aware of Silver Jews and Purple Mountains, but was typically “late to the party” in actually checking out their music. His talent and insights continue to knock me down on my arse, sometimes while smiling. Something like a Poet Laureate of the indie rock world. Kudos to you for keeping his memory alive, and (I’m certain) bringing his work to the attention of a vast new audience. I never met the guy, but I miss him. No glamor in taking one’s own life — only loss. Love is the Law.
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