Papposilenus, ugly satyr of the forest
Flat-faced, ears of horse, strapped to donkey, drunk as lord
Papposilenus, tutor to the wine-god
Bald, beef-lipped, bushy-eyebrowed, fat
Priapic buffoon, autodidact
You said "The best thing for a man is never to be born
Or die as soon as possible"
I completely disagree for I believe, you see
That life is wonderful
Papposilenus, with your flabby breasts and shaggy thighs
We laugh at you for sure, but when you're drunk you're wise
Papposilenus, you can tell us tales for five days straight
Pillows pushed up the tunic of the shabby actor who plays you
Like a pregnant woman swaddled in a hairy body-stocking
Funny yet shocking, bald, beef-lipped, bushy-eyebrowed, fat
But the biggest shock of all is how little you love life
You'd throw it away like that, you say
At the drop of a hat, you say
And the world still spins in space
Like a stupid wooden top
And we cling to it like ants
Trying to resist the centrifugal force
And you would say: "Use your brains
Make for the central place
Or never get on the damn thing in the first place!"
"The best thing for a man is never to be born
Or die as soon as possible"
I completely disagree for I believe, you see
That life is wonderful