The Goon Line 034: Speak Now (David's Version)

Today: A long-form poem about a wedding toast, written and read by the inimitable David Rakoff. It is dark, funny, cutting and… it rhymes. Absolutely acrobatic use of language from start to finish.

A version of this poem later appeared in Rakoff’s posthumously published novel in verse, Love, Dishonor, Marry, Die, Cherish, Perish — which I highly recommend that you read (it’ll take an evening, tops).

Rakoff’s voice sounds like how touching a pipe cleaner feels. I don’t know how else to explain it and I mean it in only the most complimentary of ways. (You can find more turns of phrase like this in my fourth studio album, Spirit of the Goon Volume II.)