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Reading Biographies Lyrics by Gary Soto

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Perhaps Frost was poking his secretary
The apple core of his good-living chewed
To the bitter seed. Perhaps he buttoned up
Disgusted with the dead lizard cupped in his palm
And his woman? She was as large as Gilbraltar
A chunk of cheese in each armpit
She took a deep breath
And wiggled the goose of her tasty fanny
Into the kitchen. There, she poured pancakes
Onto a skillet as old as this country
And Frost, a pioneer for all writers
Picked up his beaver-thrashed pencil and proclaimed
O Sweet Youth, etc
 I don't know how to read
Biographies, the dead words of dead writers
Etched on my eyes, then gone. I read them
And drive my car recklessly through leaves
The cushion for my own eventual death
Sure, I reflect, like a chip of mirror
And then I forget them, these subjects
These writers with lungs and straight-A penmanship
They're of no use. I'm not saved
By the repetitions of jealousy and all-day drinking
Wind frisked the trees, hair fell like wheat
And the liver, saddlebag of disease
Bulged with inoperable knots
I touch my own hip, then hobble home
Where a pumpkin glows in a window
Birds shrug into their coats of dirt
Crickets stop the violin action of their thighs
A fire is built, and I'm lit in the living room
I'm a democrat, I slur to the couch
And add, Venus is a star and fly trap
Thank God, I've learned nothing
Credits
Gary Soto

Gary Soto

About “Reading Biographies” by Gary Soto

Read the complete lyrics to "Reading Biographies" by Gary Soto. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Rap.

"Reading Biographies" is performed by Gary Soto. This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "Reading Biographies", explore more songs by Gary Soto using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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Frequently asked questions

"Reading Biographies" is credited to Gary Soto. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

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