The Goat Song.
THE GOAT SONG
The word “tragedy”
is derived
from the Greek.
It is the Greek
for “goat song.”
I would wish to find
the goat.
I would tell
the goat:
“Stop singing.”
“Please stop singing.”
“Your song is ill-composed.”
“Your song is out of tune.”
“Off-meter.”
“Poorly arranged.”
“Unlistenable with instruments.”
“Unlistenable a capella.”
“Stop, goat.”
“Stop.”
If I could, I would
art critic ourselves
out of the sound of our goat songs.
But there is no goat.
The goat is us.
And the music we make of late
insists on being horrible.
Creative Control 