245. in france they are smiling, garlic inviting

in france they are smiling, garlic inviting,
lounging on sofas in sun-rooms with ivy,
don’t (what i’m saying) expect (them) explain (to)
bump off your brother, inheritance save (to)

a haven for hard-hearted criminal larks,
like bank robbing, breaking and entering, start
your pyramid scheme in bordeaux or lille —
they’re happy to have you as long as you leave

a donation (small, say two thousand francs),
a legacy, shares, a seat on the bank —
which is how *swanee* found (*monkeys*, it’s now)
a 100% france production compound

CONGLOMERATE, coop, a corporate pool,
france might be great for murder, but cools
on large scale revues, unless they have boots
and mostly bare ladies, and can-cans in moules

chromarty camel (afoul) had been stranded
in france as the bankers *swanee* had backed were
in debt to their eyes to france and to ira —
george gershwin’s brother for songs (for the rights to)

the feeling was this: without that first bit
*swanee, i’m sleeping* (or whatever it is)
would be forced (as it was) a less overhead prod.,
if possible unpaid (if actors are monkeys)

the tigers were brought to clear from the hall the
dancers, side-steppers, swoon-singers hot,
for while it is nice to have actors that pipe,
they cost all sorts (cash) and, boy, do they gripe

to bankers it seemed one long ballyhoo being
reliant on humans when monkeys are cheap —
just two cents a pound, and they eat only sprouts,
a little of lettuce, and leftovers — house them

in cages the shed (in), bob’s in your bed,
the thing is a snip except for the mess,
and the fact that though even *murder most* speaking
is thin on the ground, it sometimes is needed
(cont.)