Bang-Bang Tango

Me and my giant orangoutang doll.
And now you.

Me and Jim-Merv-Val.
The poil of the Palais Blau Taj Mahal.
And now you.

Tango zat Bang-Bang Tango
Zat Bang-Bang Tango
Bang-Bang.

Me and those boxes of demitasse spoons from classy hotels,
All she left behind, and she left them to me,
Ma chère Marguerite.
And now you.

Me and Heidi, my miniature chow,
Eat up the puppy-dog, bow-wow,
Eat up the pussy-cat, meow-meow,
Eat up Baby Bebe, vite!
Wah-wah! Eat! Eat! EAT!
And now you.

Tango zat Bang-Bang Tango
Zat Bang-Bang Tango
Bang-Bang.

Me and Alfredo’s pneu:
Molti Soldi Goombye Old Bag Olé.
And now you.

Me and my favorite metropolis,
Oslo in April, la la,
Then on to Reykjavík, eek,
Oompah-pah!
Where Papa Gump and I
Tasted real snowflakes in May,
Only last May . . .
And now you.

Tango zat Bang-Bang Tango
Zat Bang-Bang Tango
Bang-Bang.

Me and my butterfly dance
For the man in dark glasses
Who whispered, “No cherce, got no cherce.”
And I ran, bang-bang,
And I sang, bang-bang,
Orangoutang, bang-bang,
“Got no cherce, got no cherce . . .”
           And now you.

Me and my déjà vu
Of a fidgety midget delivery boy
Unzipping my lily-white chilly white shroud,
Sinking back with me in a horse-drawn hearse.
           Aye! It’s YOU!

Tango zat Bang-Bang Tango
Tango Zat Bang-Bang
Tango Zat Bang
Tango Zat
Zat.

Poems by Kenward Elmslie are used by permission of The Estate of Kenward Elmslie.