John Ashbery - How To Continue

Oh there once was a woman

and she kept a shop

selling trinkets to tourists

not far from a dock

who came to see what life could be

far back on the island.

 

And it was always a party there

always different but very nice

New friends to give you advice

or fall in love with you which is nice

and each grew so perfectly from the other

it was a marvel of poetry

and irony

 

And in this unsafe quarter

much was scary and dirty

but no one seemed to mind

very much

the parties went on from house to house

...