13 to 45, those turbulent teen years.

 

 

 

.............and to include the bicyclic ring system

of fused organic and inorganic molucules. More

pteridophyte than human, having roots, stems

and leaves but lacking flowers and seeds.

A fern, but sentimental.

Can talk loud but refuse to understand that

love is never a suicidal song. That poetry is

not the stuff of the psychologically wounded

homosexual, and being wierd is not an excuse

for being mistrusted.

 

That sometimes you have to, like Tony Hoagland,

let the blood flow,

catch the good tradgedy between your teeth,

have,

if absolutely necessary, complaints with the world;

no one cares how blue the storytelling, no more

than carrying photos of buildings and street corners

on your smart phone,

matters.

 

I use to walk down Pennsylvania St. carrying

a large radio on my shoulder with the sound turned

all the way up as if the world should see, not hear.

Until I realized that you just cant be vulnerable,

at least, not if you know stuff. And after Beethoven

and the want and wilderness of Coletrane there is

no vulnerability in art.

 

No absolute passion like a piano sonata

that you can sit in front of, at any age,

and dream to.

Reviews

[writing mojo]

I agree whole heartily, with this piece...
There is a collective feeling these days, that we have hit the high tide mark,
we now settle for puddles of a former majesty of the arts
the water down moon in misalignment rejects lunar gut feelings,
apps track gravitational patterns living for the void
mixed into the technological airwaves
connecting devices to the norm...

[jacob erin-cilberto]

a couple edits needed, "tragedy" "weird" etc.

but what a piece of work...

no vulnerability in art...used to be...and it was okay to be vulnerable and people listened..but today, they are so self-absorbed..instead of identifying with art, they just don't want to hear it.

jacob

[Jason Henry]

transfixed from start to finish.

[Emily B]

bravo, man, bravo! you are one of my absolute favorite poets of all time

[K. Louis]

I love your voice in this. Arguably one of the best pieces I've read here at the cafe. Just one note-- 'you're' in the second stanza should be your* without the conjugation..I saw it twice. Seriously, good stuff here!