Belgium, Belgium, Kansas City (Elegy to John Belushi)
Phil Estes

Eric Idle tried to raise money
for England but all he got was $20
on Saturday Night Live.
The queen looked young:
black hair, thin, nice skin.
Was that really the queen?
You beat Idle in the “World Heavywit Title”
contest on a pretty good joke—
Aykroyd called it a “My Wife
Combination, superbly executed”:

You know my wife
gained weight; the post office
gave her her own zip code.
Thank you.
Thank you.
My wife wears a coil.
Not only does it prevent
pregnancy, it does wonders
for my television reception.
Thank you.
Thank you.

About the “Community Appeal”
sketch with Fran Tarkenton.
Your mind was supposed
to be like Swiss cheese, or a cloud,
and you dressed like a boy scout.
But the Minnesota Vikings
and Community Appeal
were going to help you out anyway;
help you beat your habit.
With them you could see shadows
and you memorized three countries.
Tell the audience the three countries you know, John.
Belgium, Belgium, Kansas City.

Have you ever been here? I wonder
what you’d think of Westport
or the Bottoms. You didn’t look like a Plaza guy,
but that's where the coke
would be. When they showed
you the script for Joy of Sex
you were supposed to be in a diaper.
Not only does it prevent
pregnancy, it does wonders
for my television reception.
Thank you.
Thank you.
When they had you on the slab
your arms looked like constellations.
The water here and Arthur Bryant's
may have helped, and the air too.
The slowness of the city.
The post office
gave her her own zip code.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You could’ve slowed down here,
drank some beers on the porch.
Tell the audience the three countries you know, John.
Belgium, Belgium, Kansas City.
Maybe it would be Len Dawson
not Fran Tarkenton.

You were thick
like I am thick.
But your hair
was full
and you had Judith.