WHAT IT’S LIKE FOR ME TO LISTEN TO ELLIOTT SMITH

by Fred Aiken

the most consistent way i’ve found to clear a room 
is to start playing elliott smith,
and i haven’t been able to tell if it’s because everyone
starts feeling introspective and sad about their life, or life in general,
or if it’s because i start break dancing when i listen to elliott smith,
and i get, 
how do you say,
kinda violent