The White Marmon is Parked in Front of the Opus One Cabaret

By Erich von Neff

Blood was on the killing chute of the Swift Slaughter House though Gitta and Frieda did not see it as they licked their lollipops. A homeless man reads by candlelight. What page is he on? A man ducks into Al & Jack’s Bar to avoid Monsignor Barron’s sermon. Cheap whores shout, “Upstairs mister?” Knot theory is proved. In a seedy bar in East Berlin, 1960, a Jewish woman who was in Dachau listens to the theme from the film “The Third Man” being played on the piano. Meanwhile at the Opus I cabaret Louie the Weasel sings, “This joint is jumping. This joint is really jumping.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erich von Neff
• Release date: Jan 29, 2016
• ISBN: 9781310364006

Erich von Neff

Erich von Neff is a San Francisco longshoreman. He received his masters degree in philosophy from San Francisco State University and was a graduate research student at the University of Dundee Scotland.Erich von Neff is well known on the French avant-garde and mainstream literary scenes. He is a member of the Poetes Francais ,La Societes des Poetes et Artistes de France, Vice Chancelier de la Federation Poetique de Saint Venance Fortunat, and Membre d'honneur du Caveau Stephanois.He has had the following publications in France (en français):Poems: 1303Short Stories: 318Small press books 9Books 1Prix (Prizes) 26Erich von Neff's novel "Prostitutees au bord de La Route" (Prostitutes by the Side of the Road) was published by "Cashiers de Nuit" (1999) with a grant from Centre Region des Lettres de Basse-Normandie.Erich von Neff's book of poems "Les Putains Cocainomanes" (The Cocaine Whores) was published by Cahiers du Nuit, 1998. "Les Putains Cocainomanes " was discussed on 96.2 FM, Paris, 1998 by Marie-Andre Balbastre, Poem # 45 was read.Several poems from "Les Putains Cocainomanes "were read at the Cafe Montmarte in Paris,2010. Several poems from "Les Yeux qui faiblissent ont faim de la vigilance eternelle de la verite "were read at the Cafe Au soleil de la Butte in Paris, 2014. Poems from " Un Cube chrome a l'interieur d'une coquille d'oeuf cassee" were read at the Cafe Au soleil de la butte" in Paris 2014.A Trophée Victor Hugo was awarded to Erich von Neff's novel "Une Lancia rouge Devale Lombard Street a tombeau ouvert," (The Red Lancia Roars Down Lombard Street), 1998. Several poems from my "Le Puttane della cocaina" (The Cocaine Whores) were read by Giulia Lombardo at the Caffe Litterario in Rome, at the Caffe Palatennistavolo,Teni Italy & Caffe degli artisti in Milan, Bookbar in Rome, Bibliocafe in Rome , and in five other Italian cafes in Italy,2014. Several poems from my "Le Puttane della cocaina" were read by Giulia Lombardo at the Caffe Palatennistavolo,Terni Italy in February ,6 readings in May 2015, 3 readings in June 2015, 2 readings in July, 4 readings in August, 4 readings in September,3 readings in October, 5 readings in December, 2015. 2 readings of my "Le Puttane dela cocaina"were read by Giulia Lombardo at the,Caffe Palatennistavolo,Terni Italy, January 2016. 2 readings of my "Le Puttane della cocaina" were read by Giulia Lombardo at the Caffe Palatennistavolo, February 2016. My poetry book "Un Cube Chrome a L'Interieur d'une Coquille d'Oeut Cassee "was published by Henri Tramoy editeur of Soleils et Cendre, France,2016. In 2018, 30 short stories and 3 poems were published in Russian magazines. In 2019 my book of poems Le Cabaret de la Souris Rugissante ( The Cabaret of the Roaring Mouse) was published by Atlier de l'agnew, editor Francoise Favretto. Le Cabaret de la Souis Rugissante was awarded a Trophee Edgar Allen Poe by Simone Gabriel editor of Cepal magazine.Le Cabaret de la Souris Rugissante was read by my translattor Jean Hautepierre at L'Autre Livre bookstore in Paris on September 5th.It was also read by Jean Hautepierre at the Cafe de la Marie in Paris on October 15th. It was read by the French actor Sebastien Bidault at the Bar-Restaurant du Palais in Paris on December 18th. There were four good reviews. In 2023 6 Affaires Resolues par Frieda et Gitta was published by Editions Unicite.

Book preview

The blonde mother

and the blonde daughter

about six

walked up Balboa Street

past the Slavic Bookstore**

Past the Cinderella Bakery***

As they walked the blonde mother

reached over and twisted the blonde daughter’s arm

Mama. Mama. You’re hurting me.

Twist and twist again

The bruised arm

The bruised soul

Mama. You’re hurting me.

Twist and twist again.

---

* February, 16th 2015, San Francisco around 2:00pm

** The Slavic Bookstore, 332 Clement Street

*** Cinderella Bakery and Cafe, 436 Balboa Street

1491*

1491 Shattack Avenue in Berkely California

1491 is not a prime number

1491 is the year before Colombus landed

in South America

Before the wholesale butchery and slavery

of Native Americans

At 1491 Shattack Avenue in Berkeley

newspapers cover the windows

of the closed Books Incorporated bookstore

Homeless people sit in the doorway

sheltered a bit from the downpour

A young man with red hair plays the guitar

A blonde with wet hair plays a harmonica

A black man holds a dog

Someone is huddled under a blanket

At 1491 Shattack Avenue

Out of the rain

Out of the wind

an unlistened to medley is played

A dog is held

Someone under a blanket stirs

Newspapers cover the windows

There are just four people

Two play music

One holds a dog

One huddles under a blanket

---

* November 2013 Berkeley California

Daniel*

He was a shadow beneath the streetlight

He sat on the sidewalk with outstretched hand

The man in front of me gave

The Chinese woman in front of him gave

It was 6pm - dark

One could feel the winter storm**

waiting above the choppy sea

and due in three hours

Weather reports in the newspaper, on the radio, on television:

It’s going to be the worst rain in years.

And now I gave

Daniel, he said

You could sit in the library, I suggested

I can’t hear. Write it down, he replied

Even with these few words

his voice sounded like someone

who had great difficulty in learning to speak

I shrugged and gave him a woolen cap

an extra I had in my car

Don’t worry about me, he said

as he placed it on his head

"Near the end of Ninth Avenue

I can find shelter from the rain."

People kept giving him money

People hurried home

I hurried home

Three hours