Constantly risking absurdity br and death br whenever he performs br above the heads br of his audience br the poet like an acrobat br climbs on rime br to a high wire of his own making br and balancing on eyebeams br above a sea of faces br paces his way br to the other side of the day br performing entrachats br and sleight-of-foot tricks br and other high theatrics br and all without mistaking br any thing br for what it may not be br For he's the super realist br who must perforce perceive br taut truth br before the taking of each stance or step br in his supposed advance br toward that still higher perch br where Beauty stands and waits br with gravity br to start her death-defying leap br And he br a little charleychaplin man br who may or may not catch br her fair eternal form br spreadeagled in the empty air br of existencebr br Lawrence Ferlinghettibr br