#fernadapivano

Peter Orlovsky, Allen Ginsberg, Fernanda Pivano, Steven Taylor, playing a squat in Milan, 1979.  [photo: Giovanni Giovannetti /  courtesy Ginsberg Collection]

Around this time, Allen, Peter & Steven were playing Allen’s translation of Basho’s “Old Pond” which literally translated is: Old pond/ a frog jumps in /water’s sound”. This they turned into a full song, the first few stanzas here:  

“The old pond—a frog jumps in, kerplunk! Hard road! I walked till both feet stunk— Ma!Ma! Whatcha doing down on that bed? Pa!Pa! what hole you hide your head?”

“Left home got work down town today Sold coke, got busted looking gay Day dream, I acted like a clunk Th’old pond—a frog jumps in, kerplunk!”

“Got hitched, I bought a frying pan Fried eggs, my wife eats like a man Won’t cook, her oatmeal tastes like funk Th’old pond—a frog jumps in, kerplunk!”

etc…