Oh, say, can you see?

yogurt and chicken soup
on the floor with an old ash tray
amid traces of faintly red saffron-at least it looked that way-
it was all too taxing for me to stay.
black on a blue background
was a word in capital letters: SURPRISE!
with great energy it appeared before my eyes
naked of everything, including momentary lies.
and a funeral taking place
nearby but i didn't say a word
i couldn't hear what it was i thought i heard.
i saw a friend but he proved to be a bird.
he gestured swimmingly
held a fancy feather with a wink
of multicolored passion mostly clothed in hues of pink.
i had been an admirer, now didn't know what to think.
the audience whistled
and rushed into another fighting song.
i thought it was a religious hymn but once again was wrong.
in the short run i couldn't stay too long.
i am a pessimist
with dozens of umbrellas by my side
in my wretched apartment is everything i try to hide:
my library book about Copernicus and an unused TV guide