I'm not going to cry all the time
nor shall I laugh all the time,
I don't prefer one "strain" to another.
I'd have the immediacy of a bad movie,
not just a sleeper, but also the big,
overproduced first-run kind. I want to be
at least as alive as the vulgar. And if
some aficionado of my mess says "That's
not like Frank!", all to the good! I
don't wear brown and grey suits all the time,
do I? No. I wear workshirts to the opera,
often. I want my feet to be bare,
I want my face to be shaven, and my heart--
you can't plan on the heart, but
the better part of it, my poetry, is open.
Back to Frank O'Hara
Get a free collection of Classic Poetry ↓
To be able to leave a comment here you must be registered. Log in or Sign up.
Comments1Really liked the raw honesty in 'My Heart'. This line hit me: "you can't plan on the heart, but the better part of it, my poetry, is open." Made me think about how unpredictable life can be, yet we can find solace in expressing ourselves. It's like he's saying that his heart's always open for emotions and feelings. Very relatable and powerful stuff! 👏😊