for J

Do you know that story?

Larry wanted to be a pilot, but

his eyesight was too bad,

and the Air Force said, Sorry, Larry,

that’s too bad, and Larry said

Fuck you, I’ll find my own way

to the sky.

 

I’m paraphrasing,

but Larry really did fly,

right over the Mojave Desert

in 1982, with 43 weather balloons

and a lawn chair, and a beer, and

a pellet gun he brought along

to help him down when he was ready.

 

And he made it to 16,000 feet!

Airplanes saw him! He had a great time!

And the pellet gun worked

until he dropped it, and crashed

into some power lines, and caused

a 20-minute blackout in Long Beach.

 

But Larry was okay! He climbed down,

but then they arrested him the second

he hit the ground, saying, We know

you broke a law, we just don’t know

which one. That was okay with Larry.

He said to the police (and I’m not

paraphrasing this time):

It was something I had to do.

 

Larry named his aircraft Inspiration 1

and then never built an Inspiration 2

and shot himself in the heart in 1993.

 

Do you get what I’m saying?

I don’t want to be happy

with anyone else but you.