August 16, 2005

The Lonesome Death of Marlon Brando

Tennesse Williams killed poor Marlon Brando
With a play that he carved of Desire in New Orleans.
At a Manhattan Island theatrical gathering
The press were called in and the weapon exalted.
They wrote him up handsomely all in the papers
With promise and praise for his first real murder . . .

We knew you reasonably well
But now we really know you.
Go make yourself something to sell.
Now ain't the time to be true.

Tennessee Williams who had then 36 years
Owned a succession of respected openings
With rich wealthy patrons to provide and promote him
and profitable relations on Manhattan Island
Wrote lines for young Brando to wear 'cross his shoulders
And swear words and sneering and Stella. He was snarling.
In a matter of months a big star was out walking.

We knew you were clever as well
But now we really know you.
Go make yourself something to sell.
Now ain't the time to be true.

Marlon Brando was as keenly perceptive
But all his best lines were the fortune of others.
All of that fury contained it was scripted.
Good Marlon Brando was just a young liar.
And every new face was the face of a liar.
And even the voice to him rang like a huckster.
Until heavy and limping and groping and gutted
He stranded himself out alone on an Island
And waded in waves to his neck in saltwater
To find even then as a father he was a liar.

They knew you desperately. Well,
They didn't know you at all.
You made yourself something to sell.
Boy you were bound to fall.

Tennessee Williams killed poor Marlon Brando
But after all this I ask How can you blame him?
Neither had much there to guide or protect him.
Neither immune to the failure of spirit
Common to sensitive men who are famous
Common to creative men and their egos
Common to handsome young men in The City
Further who struggle with fear and self-loathing
And are riddled by doubt and surrounded by yes men
And prone to dull action and full self-indulgence.
Neither could ever let go of their mothers.
So as I say you cannot really blame him.
It could be as true to say Brando killed Williams
Or even that Elia Kazan did them both in.

We knew you impossibly well.
We didn't know you,
But we'll make ourselves something we sell
When now is the time to be true.

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