when they’re at the club 
i hope it’s luv
and not just club love 
but real warm and cozy
when they’re at bar
she’s her star
or so they say
when they’re at the club
i hope it’s love in her eyes 
and his cup never spills 
and they dance like
forever but
not actually forever
just long enuf 
for the illusion to hold
and me to forget 
why i started writing 
in the first place? 

for alicia. in memory of bernadette mayer.

we went to the bar with no men. it was dirty cuz the late-night shift was lazy
and anyway i was on the late-night shift
but we were at the bar with no men
and since i worked a double shift the night before, i helped myself to a bottle of gin

we were talking about the war, hopefully the last one but we were never sure
but anyway we were talking about the last one. and how dirty it got? how it was all in people’s minds too and they couldn’t even think of a bar with no men, cuz it was so simple but actually pretty hard to pull off.

sandy adjusted a lamp near me and patted me on the head

“you’ve been very diligent slacking off, have a raise.” 

i told her she was sweet and we began the political education unit on transgressions 

which yes involved many things and there was much to discuss. who wronged who that week, yes this was very much a work in progress. so yes we went to work unpacking the various things that needed unpacking, the support networks we needed to deploy to which families at which date, who needed to go out on work assignment, think about what they had done and present a poem on the subject, whereupon their case would be swiftly administered with no errors or bias
and the question of whether re-entry was feasible/ desirable / requested or denied by the affected parties 

after a long rap sesh and note-taking, we went upstairs, made ravenous love and promptly conked out. 

Berndette Mayer’s seventh book was published by Anne Waldman and Lewis Warsh’s Angel Hair Books (Lenox, Massachusetts and New York, New York) in 1977. 8.5 x 11 inches. Side stapled. 400 copies. This copy unbound and with anonymous previous owner’s addition of page numbering and marginalia in red felt-tip ink.
— Read on eclipsearchive.org/projects/ERUDITIO/eruditio.html

Mayer’s fifth book, Memory was published by North Atlantic Books (Plainfield, Vermont) in 1976. Set in Aldine Roman and printed by Typographics (Plainfield, VT) on an IBM Composer. Edition unknown.

— Read on eclipsearchive.org/projects/MEMORY/memory.html

Mayer’s sixth book, Poetry was published by the Kulchur Foundation (New York) in 1976. Printed by Harry Gantt. Cover by Rosemary Mayer.
— Read on eclipsearchive.org/projects/POETRY/poetry.html

Mayer’s fourth book, Studying Hunger was published by Adventures in Poetry (New York, New York) and Big Sky (Bolinas, California) in 1975. Striking and iconic bled cover photo by Ed Bowes. Edition of 1,000.
— Read on eclipsearchive.org/projects/HUNGER/hunger.html

business hours are 9-5
move to change 
rearrange the structure
of our lives 
try a hobby besides 
emotional blackmail 
this protracted war
has made it tough
to breathe and say
that’s not okay

business hours are 9-5
wake up at 11 
throw a wrench into 
plans are dubious 
we know better 
than to fall in love 
again

business hours are 9-5
look left and right before
u cross over to the other side
look at your life
with crystal clarity 
and see it all begin again