Page 210

By Jack Joseph Smith

Attempt Seeing this She belonged in another place In time and grace Beyond would be better Bone good looking And older at a back door theatre alley And there at a Canyon kitchen Flowered by the ingrown stubs of Eucalyptus She was younger than a star Before the gleam of the Boulevard Same cheeks were slanted up as a song And I wanted her before the first time Each way I saw her I wanted her twice

Original Scan

AI Interpretation

GPT

The page idealizes a woman through alley, kitchen, eucalyptus, canyon, starlight, and boulevard gleam, making desire feel both cinematic and strangely ancient.

The verified transcript sharpens the scene without changing its drift: attraction arrives as recognition before contact, and the speaker doubles that desire with each sighting.

Claude

Attempt. She belonged in another place, in time and grace — beyond would be better. At a back door theatre alley; a canyon kitchen flowered by ingrown stubs of Eucalyptus. Younger than a star before the gleam of the Boulevard. Cheeks slanted up as a song — I wanted her before the first time, each way I saw her I wanted her twice.