Thursday, May 15, 2008

Oh Superman- For Mother's Day



We went to the Mt Cootha Botanic Gardens for Mother's Day- along with 50 thousand Brisbanites all sporting picnic baskets. Ugh. Picnics. Combine cooking with packing. Then eat on the ground while ants crawl into your shorts.

Anyway, new at the gardens were some interesting sculptures. Here's the first. And, it can only be paired with Laurie Anderson's song "Oh, Superman"- which is also fitting (note- not seizuring) for Mother's Day.

Not that I am cynical about mother's- particularly my mother- I love her. And, I am an American who likes living in America. With my mother. I also love Laurie Anderson- and this piece is particularly wonderful.

What else could one think about this sculpture but "in your long arms?"



O Superman
O Superman. O judge. O Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad.
O Superman. O judge. O Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad.
Hi. I'm not home right now. But if you want to leave a
message, just start talking at the sound of the tone.
Hello? This is your Mother. Are you there? Are you coming home?
Hello? Is anybody home? Well, you don't know me,
but I know you.
And I've got a message to give to you.
Here come the planes.
So you better get ready. Ready to go.
You can come as you are, but pay as you go. Pay as you go.
And I said: OK. Who is this really? And the voice said:
This is the hand, the hand that takes. This is the
hand, the hand that takes.
This is the hand, the hand that takes.
Here come the planes.
They're American planes. Made in America.
Smoking or non-smoking?
And the voice said: Neither snow nor rain nor gloom
of night shall stay these couriers from the swift
completion of their appointed rounds.

'Cause when love is gone, there's always justice.
And when justice is gone, there's always force.
And when force is gone, there's always Mom. Hi Mom!

So hold me, Mom, in your long arms. So hold me,
Mom, in your long arms.
In your automatic arms. Your electronic arms.
In your arms.
So hold me, Mom, in your long arms.
Your petrochemical arms. Your military arms.
In your electronic arms.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did you know that she and Lou Reed have finally tied the knot?? according to Wikipedia, that is.

NNV said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
NNV said...

No! I wasn't invited! But, if Wikipedia says so- it must be true.