so we rolled into high point and it was a fucking hurricane!
the ghost city was wind-swept
ripping windows straight through whatever grip on reality i might have had
split thrilled grin
splatter rain and chilly mist,
mysteriously chill
and cool
after baking sweat at 3000' Celsius
the train depot let us breathe
and soak in the sights
and sounds
and vibes
as we swung from railings on the breeze-way
thunder rumbling on the tracks beneath us
and the lightning in the not-so-distant Now
not a threat,
but a guarantee
that the bustling business suits and briefcases of the
bermuda circus
were only crouching still behind concrete walls,
undetected eyeballs in the foliage of the grey-blue cityscape
watching curiously and cautiously
as we danced on kicks
softly
under our golden-orange rooftops
in the air of the cold blue indian summer
2 comments:
"Constantly risking absurdity
and death
whenever he performs
above the heads
of his audience
the poet like an acrobat
climbs on rime
to a high wire of his own making...
...For he's the super realist
who must perforce perceive
taut truth
before the taking of each stance or step
in his supposed advance
toward that still higher perch
where Beauty stands and waits..."
You gave me such a nice comment that I'd thought I'd say thank you with a little Ferlinghetti. :-)
I also read and enjoyed your Eureka post. How did you put it? "That burly, masculine, gung ho, fu-manchu business is pretty rad." I couldn't have said it better myself. Of course, this comes from a girl who thinks John Wayne is kick-ass, who appreciates the metaphor of the children, the ants, and the scorpians in The Wild Bunch, and who still claims A Fist Full of Dollars as her favorite Western film. Personally, I'm drawn to American cowboys because they exemplify certain aspects of the "rough and tough" American spirit that have helped keep us alive in the past and I believe help keep us alive as a nation today.
Of course, if you weren't tough in those pioneer days, death was a pretty predictable outcome for you, and maybe your family too. I think a lot of admirable aspects of the American spirit--toughness, charity, sense of community, individualism, etc.-- flourished because they were essential to our survival. I'm not sure why today we so often experience a fixation on violence or why it's so compelling, but I wonder if maybe it isn't at least related to our need for reassurance that BS will not be tolerated. Violence can be terrible, but to many Americans injustice, enslavement, and appeasement are the greater evils, to which violence is often an effective remedy. But then I'm sure it's a hundred additional reasons too. :-)
Anyway, thanks again. Time for bed. I'm yawning like crazy. :-)
I love Ferlinghetti! With his pioneer hats and verse, he was one of the smilingist movers and shakers of the whole thing! one of the great men behind the beautiful madness of it all! Thank you for that.
It is true that the characteristics you mentioned-"toughness, charity, and community"-traits forged out of a need for survival in the days of the wild frontier, have become deeply rooted aspects of American individualism. And isn't it exciting to experience things that really embody those essential aspects of our heritage and character?! I mean John Wayne and A Fistfull of Dollars! That's what it's all about! Hopefully with our writing we can work to turn other people on to these exciting things, these pure, American experiences. I look forward to following your blog and will be sure to keep you posted about my chance encounters with our beautiful country. Take care and thanks for your reply!
(oh and sorry to keep you up late!)
Post a Comment