P O E T R Y / I S B N : 0 - 8 1 1 2 - 0 7 9 7 - 8

L a w r e n c e F e r l i n g h e t t i

ENDLESS UFE:, . S e l e c t e d P o e m s

L a w r e n c e F e r l i n g h e t t i is s u r e l y (as a r e v i e w e r iv Booklisi p h r a s e d i t ) " o n e o f o u r ageless rad icá i s a n d t r u e b a r d s , " H e has c o n s i s -t e n t l y s p o k e n i n p o e t i c t e r m s accessible t o e v e r y t y p e o f r e a d e r a b o u t o u r l i f e a n d t i m e a n d i t s issues, n o t o n l y t h e p o l i t i c a l o n e s b u t t h o s e o f t h e i n t e r i o r l i f e . B e h i n d t h e i m m e d i a c y o f w h a t Libraiy Journal c a l l e d h i s " D y n a m i c , v e r b o s e , a l a r m i n g , c h a r m i n g , a n d u n -s e t t l i n g " p o e t r y a n d i t s i r r e s i s t i b l e s p o n t a n e i t y l ie s e r i o u s t h o u g h t a n d e r u d i t i o n . H i s m o t i v a t i o n has b e e n t o be ( i n h is w o r d s ) " a n agent provocateur—subversive, a n a r c h i s t i c , a n d p r o p h e t i c . "

Endiess Ufe: Selected Poems is t h e poet ' s o w n cholee , t h e p o e m s t h a t s t i l l e x c i t e h i m , f r o m e i g h t p r e v i o u s b o o k s o f p o e t r y . T h e s e s t a r t w i t h Pictures of ihe Gotie World (1955) , t h e f i r s t b o o k h e p u b l i s h e d u n d e r h i s o w n C i t y L i g h t s i m p r i n t , f o l l o w e d b y A Coney Island of the Mind ( 1958) , a l i t e r a r y l a n d m a r k w i t h a l m o s t a m i l l i o n copies i n p r i n t t h e w o r l d o v e r a n d t h e f i r s t o f F e r l i n g h e t t i ' s t h i r t e e n b o o k s b r o u g h t o u t b y N e w D i r e c t i o n s . Starting from San francisco ( 1961) , The Secret Meaning of Things ( 1969) , Open Eye, Open Heart (1973) , Who Are We Now? (1976) , Northwest Ecolog ( C i t y L i g h t s , 1978) , a n d Lnnd-scapes of Living & Dying (1979) a re each g e n e r o u s l y r e p r e s e n t a d . T h e f i n a l s e c t i o n o f t h e b o o k i n c l u d e s t h e l o n g t i t l e p o e m , " E n d i e s s L i f e / ' t a k e n f r o m w o r k - i n - p r o g r e s s .

[ A l s o b y L a w r e n c e F e r l i n g h e t t i : A Coney Island of the Mind, N D P 7 4 , $ 2 . 2 5 ; Her ( n o v e l ) , N D P 8 8 , $ 1 . 5 0 ; Landscapes of Living ¿r Dying, N D P 4 9 1 , $ 2 . 9 5 ; Mexican Night ( t r a v e l j o u r n a l ) , N D P 3 0 0 , $ 1 . 5 0 ; RouUnes (p lays ) , N D P 1 8 7 , $ 1 . 0 0 ; The Secret Meaning of T/iiry», N D P 2 Ó 8 , $ 1 . 0 0 ; Starting from San Francisco, N D P 2 2 0 , $ 1 . 0 0 ; Tyrannus Nix? ( p o l i t i c a l s a t i r e ) , N D P 2 8 8 , $ 1 . 2 5 ; Unfair Argumentswith Existenct ( p l a y s ) , N D P 1 4 3 , $ 1 . 0 0 ; Who Are We Now?, N D P 4 2 5 , $1 .95 .1

Cover drawing by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

A N E W D I R E C T I O N S P A P E R B O O K N D P 5 1 6 $'í-95

Lawrence Ferlinghetti

ENDLESS

Selected Poems

R o o k s by L a w r e n c í ' F e r l i n j i h e l l i

rOFTRY Pictures of thv Gone World A Coney Island of the Mind Startinfí from San Francisco

The Sfcret Meaninf! of Things Back Roads to Far Places

Open Eye, Open Heart W ho Are IVcNoic? Northwest Ecolof^

Landscapes of Living & Dying

PROSE fler

Tyrannus Nix? The Mexican Night

P L A Y S

linfair Arguments with Existence Routines

I

T R A N S L A T I O N

Paroles b y Jarques P r e v e n

••IT'.ÍTO

LAWRENCE F E R L I N G H E T T # ; ' t i -

••ANGi/J AMÍ::ht!.:A! !''''

ENDLESS LIFE e i B L i ü T E G A

S E L E C T E D POEMS

[aDQ; P S l S u

A N E W D I R E C T I O N S B O O K

Copyright © 1955, 1958,1959, 1960, 1961,1964, 1966, 1967, ' ' 1968, 1969, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978,

1979, 1981 by Lawrence Ferlinghetti

All rights reserved. Excppl for brief passages quoted in a newspapcr, magazjne, radio, or televisión review, no part of this book may be repro-diiced in nny form or liy any means, olectronir or mechaniral, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, wilhout permission in wriling from the Publisher.

Manufa<'tured in the United States of America. Firfil published rlothboiind in 1981 and as New Directions Paperbook 516 Published simultaneously in Canadá hy George J . McLeod Ltd., Toronto

The poems included in this book havp been selected from the fnllowing: Picturpx of thp. Gone W^orld ÍCity Lights, 1955) ; A Coney ¡slnnd of ike. Mind 'New Directions, 1958) ; Starting from San Francisco (ND, 1961) ; The Secret Meaning of Things {ND, 1968) ; Open Eye, Open Heari I N D . 1973) ; Who Are We Now? (ND, 1976) ; Northwest Ecolog (City Lights, 1<)78) ; Landscapes of Living & Dying (ND, 1979), Also included are "Modern Poetry Is Prose Ulut It Is Saying Plenty)" as published in The Populist Mnnifestos liy Grey Fox Press, 1981; "Retired Ballerinas, Central Park West" which appeared on the Oped page of the N.Y. Times, February 9. 1980; and "Endiess L i f e " from European Poems, a work-in-progress.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publiration Data

Ferlinghetti, Lawrence. Endiess l ife : selected poems

(A New Directions Book) Includes índex.

I . Title. PS3511.E557E5 1981 811'.54 80-29127

I S B N 0-8112-(l796-X I S B N 0-8112-0797-8 (pbk.)

New Directions Books are published for James Laughlin by New Directions Publisbing Corporation

80 Eigbth Av^nue, New York 10011

i.

T o

P r e s l e y E . B i s l a u d

&

u n a L u w r e n e e B i ^ I a i i d

C O N T E N T S

I . from Pictures of the Gone World

A W A Y A B O V E A H A R B O R F U L . . . 3

I N H I N T E R T I M E P R A X I T E L E S . . . 4

A N D T H E A R A B S A S K E D T E R R I B L E Q U E S T I O N S . . . 5

S A R O L L A ' S W O M E N IN T H E I R P I C T U R E H A T S . . . 7

F O R A L L I K N O W M A Y B E S H E WAS H A P P I E R . . . 9

F O R T U N E . . . 10

AND S H E ' L I K E A Y O U N G Y E A R . . .' 12

I T WAS A F A C E W H I C H D A R K N E S S C O U L D K I L L . . . 13

W I T H B E L L S F O R H O O V E S I N S O U N D I N G S T R E E T S . . . 14 )

T H A T F E L L O W ON T H E B O A T T R A I N W H O I N S I S T E D . . . 16 j

H E A V E N . . . 17

T H E W O R L D IS A B E A U T I F U L P L A C E . . . I g

R E A D I N G Y E A T S I DO N O T T H I N K . . . ¿ I

S W E E T A N D V A R I O U S T H E W O O D L A R K . . . 23

'

I I . from A Coney Island of the Mind

I N G O Y A S G R E A T E S T S C E N E S W E S E E M T O S E E . . . 2 7

T H E P O E T ' S E Y E O B S C E N E L Y S E E I N G . . . 2 9

S O M E T I M E D U R I N G E T E R N I T Y . . . 3 1

7«5w •—i-rr

T H E Y W E R E P U T T I N G U P T H E S T A T U E . . .

W H A T C O U L D S H E S A Y T O T H E F A N T A S T I C F O O L Y B E A R . . .

I N G O L D E N G A T E P A R K T H A T D A Y . . .

S E E I T W A S L I K E T H I S W H E N . . .

I H A V E N O T L A I N W I T H B E A U T Y A L L M Y L I F E . . .

N O T L I K E D A N T E . . .

C O N S T A N T L Y R I S K I N G A B S U R D I T Y . . .

T H E P E N N Y C A N D Y S T O R E B E Y O N D T H E E L . . .

D O V E S T A A M O R E . . .

A U T O B I O G R A P H Y

D O G

I AM W A I T I N G

I I I . from Starting from San Francisco

H I D D E N D O O R

U N D E R W E A R

C O M E L I E W I T H M E A N D B E M Y L O V E

T H E G R E A T C H I N E S E D R A G O N

I V . from T h e Secret Meaning of Things

A S S A S S I N A T I O N R A G A

MOSCOW I N T H E W I L D E R N E S S , S E G O V I A I N T H E SNOW

v i i i

tí--' m

V . from Open E y e , Open Heart

T R U E C O N F E S S I O N A L 9 7

I N A T I M E O F R E V O L U T I O N F O R I N S T A N C E 1 0 0

S T O N E R E A L I T Y M E D I T A T I O N 10,3

S U N R I S E , B O L I N A S X04

A P H O E N I X A T F I F T Y J O S

T H E M A N W H O R O D E A W A Y X07

A N E L E G Y O N T H E D E A T H O F K E N N E T H P A T C H E N 1 1 0

A N I M A G I N A R Y H A P P E N I N G , L O N D O N 113

T H O U G H T S T O A C O N C E R T O O F T E L E M A N N H 4

T O C T O C : A C O U P L E O B S E R V E D 1 1 6

P O U N D A T S P O L E T O 1 1 7

O N T H E T R A N S S I B E R I A N 1 1 9

R E C I P E F O R H A P P I N E S S I N K H A B A R O V S Y

OR A N Y P L A C E 120

S A L U T E 121

T H I R D W O R L D C A L L I N G 123

B A S E B A L L C A N T O 125

L A U G H I N G & C R Y I N G 128

N I G H T L I G H T I 3 0

V I . /rom Who Are We Now

D I R E C T O R O F A L I E N A T I O N 133

W I L D D R E A M S O F A N E W B E G I N N I N G 137

L O S T P A R E N T S l - ^ * ^

P E O P L E G E T T I N G D I V O R C E D 141

S H O R T S T O R Y ON A P A I N T I N G O F G U S T A V K L I M T 142

A L I E N A T I O N : T W O B E E S 144

O L B E R ' S P A R A D O X 146

U P O N R E F L E C T I O N r 147

D E E P C H E S S 148

A M E E T I N G O F E Y E S I N M E X I C O 150

T H E G E N E R A L SONG O F H U M A N I T Y 152

E I G H T P E O P L E ON A G O L F C O U R S E A N D O N E B I R D O F F R E E D O M F Y I N G O V E R 154

P O P U L I S T M A N I F E S T O 156

V I L from Northwest Ecolog

T H E O L D S A I L O R S ;: 163

W I L D L I F E C A M E O , E A R Y M O R N 164

R E A D I N G A P O L L I N A I R E B Y T H E R O G U E R I V E R 165

H O R S E S A T D A W N 167

I N T O T H E D E E P E R P O O L S . . . ; ' 168

R O U G H S O N G O F A N I M A L S D Y I N G 170

V I H . from Landscapes of L i v i n g & D y i n g

T H E O L D I T A L I A N S D Y I N G 175

T H E S E A A N D O U R S E L V E S A T C A P E A N N 179

X

182

M E R C E D E S 184

186

189

193

194

197

199

I X . Work-in-Progress

R E T I R E D B A L L E R I N A S . C E N T R A L P A R K W E S T 207

M O D E R N P O E T R Y IS P R O S E

I B U T I T I S S A Y I N G P L E N T Y ) 208

E N D L E S S L I F E 210

I N D E X O F T I T E E S & F I R S T L I N E S 219

A S W E E T F L Y I N G D R E A M

T W O S C A V E N G E R S I N A T R U C K , T W O B E A U T I F U L P E O P L E I N A

T H E B I L L B O A R D P A I N T E R S

H O M E H O M E H O M E

S A N J O S E S Y M P H O N Y R E C E P T I O N

W H I T E O N W H I T E

AN E L E G Y T O D I S P E L G L O O M

A D I E U A C H A R L O T

X l

E N D L E S S L I F E

fe

from P ic tures of the G o n e W o r l d I 9 5 S

A W A Y A B O V E A H A R B O R F U L

way above a h a r b o r f u l of caulklcüs houses

a i i io i ig l l i e charley noble f l i i n i n e y p o t s o f a r o o f t o p r igged w i l h clotbeslines

a w o i i i a n pastes u p sails u p o n the w i n d

hanging out her n i o r n i n g sheets w i t h wooden píns

O lovely m a m n i a l her nearly naked breacts

t h r o w taut sbadows w h e n she stretches u p

to hang at last the last of h e r so w h i t e washed sins

b u t i t ic wet lv ai i iorous and w i n d s i tsel f about her

c l i n g i n g to her s k i n So caught w i t h arms

upraised she tosses back h e r head

i n voiceless l a u g h t e r and i n choiceless gesture t h e n

shakes o u t gold h a i r

w h i l c i n the reachless seasrape spaces

between the b l o w n w h i t e shrouds

stand o u t t l i e b r i g l i t steatners

to k i n g d o m come

I N H I N T E R T I M E P R A X I T E L E S . .

I n h i n t e r t i m e Praxite les l a i d about h i m w i t h a golden m a u l

s t r i k i n g i n t o stone i : I his alabaster ideáis

u t t e r i n g a l l the sculptor 's lexicón

i n v i s ib le syllables H e cast bronze trees

p e t r i f i e d a chameleon o n one made stone doves i

% , H i s calipers measured br idges

and lovers and cer ta in o ther superhumans w h o m

he caught u p o n t h e i r dusty way . ;, , ' ;.iy „ . tO d c a t h ' , ,

T h e y never reached i t t h e n

I Y o u s t i l l can a lmost see t h e i r b r e a t h

T h e i r stone eyes s tar ing t h r u three thousand years

a l lay o u r fears o f aging

a l t h o u g h Praxite les h i m s e l f at t w e n t y - e i g h t lay dead

f o r scu lpture isn ' t f o r y o u n g m e n

as Constant in B r a n c u s i at a l a ter h o u r

said

A N D T H E A R A B S A S K E D T E R R I B L E

Q U E S T I O N S . . .

^ A _ n d the Arabs asked t e r r i b l e questions and the Pope d i d n ' t k n o w w h a t to say and t h e people r a n a r o u n d i n wooden shoes asking w h i c h way was the head of Midas f a c i n g and everyone said

N o instead of Yes ••• •••i./v

W h i l e s t i l l forever i n t h e L u x e m b o u r g gardens i n the founta ins of the Mediéis were t h e

fa t red goldf ish and the fa t w h i t e goldf ish a n d the c h i l d r e n r u n n i n g a r o u n d the p o o l

p o i n t i n g and p i p i n g

Des poissons rouges! Des poissons rouges!

b u t they r a n off and a leaf u n h o o k e d i tse l f

and f e l l u p o n t h e p o o l , and lay l i k e an eye w i n k i n g

eircles and t h e n the p o o l was v e r y , ,

am

and there was a dog )f,-t?-~ j u s t s tanding there

at the edge of the p o o l l o o k i n g d o w n

at the t ranced fish

•to .

a n d n o t b a r k i n g o r w a v i n g i ts f u n n y t a i l o r

a n y t h i n g

so t h a t

f o r a m o m e n t t h e n

i n the la te N o v e m b e r dusk

silence h u n g l i k e a lost idea

a n d a statue t u r n e d

its head

6

S A R O L L A ' S W O M E N I N T H E I R

P I C T U R E H A T S . . .

'aroUa's w o m e n i n t h e i r p i c t u r e hats stretched u j i o n his canvas beaches

begui led the Spanish Impressionists

A n d were they f r a u d u l e n t pictures of the w o r l d

the way the l i g h t p l a y e d o n t h e m creat ing i l lus ions

o f love?

I cannot h e l p b u t t h i n k t h a t t h e i r ' r e a h t y '

was almost as rea l as m y n i e m o r y of today

w h e n the last sun h u n g on the h i l l s and I h e a r d the day f a l l i n g

l i k e the gul ls t h a t f e l l a lmost to l a n d

w h i l e the last p icn ickers l a v and loved i n the b l o w i n g y e l l o w b r o o m

resisted and resist ing t e a r i n g themselves apart

again

again

u n t i l t h e last h o t h u n g c l i m a x w h i c h c o u l d at last no longer he resisted

m a d e t h e m m e a n

A n d night ' s trees stood u p

F O R A L L I K N O W M A Y B E S H E ^

W A S H A P P I E R . . .

F o r a l l I k n o w m a y b e she was happíer t h a n anyone

t h a t lone cronc i n the shawl o n the orangecrate t r a i n

w i t h the l i t t l e tame b i r d i n her h a n d k e r c h i e f

crooníng to i t a l l the t i m e

mia mascotta mia mascotta

and none of the sunday excursionists w i t h t h e i r bott les and t h e i r baskets

j i a y i n g any a t t e n t i o n

a n d the coach , 0 c reak ing o n t h r o u g h cornfields

80 s l o w l y t h a t

butter f i ies

b l e w i n and o u t

F O R T U N E . . .

E which 18 a good thing

o r t u n e has i ts cookies to give o u t

since i t ' s been a l o n g t i m e since

t h a t sunimer i n B r o o k l y n w h e n they closed off the street

one h o t day a n d the

F I R E M E N

t u r n e d o n t h e i r hoses r. and a l l the k ids r a n o u t i n i t

i n the n i i d d i e of the street

a n d there were

m a y b e a couple dozen of us

o u t there w i t h the water s q u i r t i n g u p

to the

sky

a n d a l l over US

10

there was m a y b e on ly six of us k ids a l together

r u n n i n g a r o u n d i n o u r barefeet and b i r t h d a y

suits ai id T remember M o l l y b u t t h e n

the firemen etopped s q u i r t i n g t h e i r hoses a l l of a sudden and went

back i n t h e i r firehouse

and started i ) l ay ing p inochle again

j u s t as i f n o t h i n g l i a d ever

happened w h i l e I remetnber M o l l y

l o o k e d at m e and i« •

r a n i n

bccanse I guess rea l ly we were t l i c on ly ones there

A N D S H E ' L I K E A Y O U N G Y E A R . K

j ^ n d she * I ike a y o u n g year w a l k i n g t h r u the e a r t h '

i n t h e Bois de Boulogne t h a t t i m e or as I r e m e m be r hélWí''''

s tepping out of a b a t h t u b i n t h a t ^o ld flat she h a d

córner of Boulevard des Italiens

O h t h e y say she t r i e d e v e r y t h i n g before the end

took u p televisión and crosswords even c rochet ing . , -

and things l i k e t h a t and carne to have t h e a i r

; be fore the end (as h e r f a v o r i t e poet described h e r )

of 'always c a r r y i n g flowers t o w a r d some f a r

abandoned t o m b '

w h i c h doesn't surprise m e n o w

t h a t I come to t h i n k of i t

I T h e s t ruck seed was i n h e r

12

I T W A S A F A C E W H I C H D A R K N E S S

C O U L D K I L L . . .

was a face w h i c h darknesa c o u l d k i l l i n an ins tant

a face as eaaily h u r t b y l a u g h t e r or l i g h t

' W e think d i f f e r e n t l y at n i g h t ' she t o i d m e once '¡¡' vi.

l y i n g back l a n g u i d l y

A n d she w o u l d quote Cocteau ,

' I fee l there is an ángel i n m e ' s h e ' d say i ' • ; ¡ , , * w h o n i I am constantly

s h o c k i n g '

T h e n she w o u l d smi le and l o o k away l i g h t a cigarette f o r m e

I I' ' '' s igh and rise a n d stretch

h e r sweet anatomy

le t f a l l a s tocking

13

W I T H B E L L S F O R H O O V E S I N

S O U N D I N G S T R E E T S . . .

Vi itli bcl ls f o r liooves i n sounding streets

t h a t t e r r i b l e horse t h e u n i c o r n

carne o n

a n d cropped a m e d i a r f r o m a tree

and where he d r o p p e d t h e seed sprang up a v i r g i n '

o h she sprang up u p o n his baek and rodé off t i t t e r i n g to a s tair

where pieces of s t r i n g lay scaltered everywhere

N o w w h e n she saw t h e s t r i n g so w h i t e so l o v e l y and so h e a u t i f u l

a n d l o o k i n g l i k e Innocence i tse l f

she got d o w n and reached f o r a n ice s t ra ight piece

b u t i t h a d a head and i t b i t

h e r h e a u t i f u l place

So (she said)

th i s is h o w i t a l l began

N e x t t i m e I ' l l k n o w

B u t i t was too late and they b u r i e d h e r

15

•íjjy'ft- Jt^-. 'vfir

T H A T F E L L O W O N T H E B O A T T R A I N

W H O I N S I S T E D . . .

T X h a t f c l l o w on l l i r b o a t t r a i n w h o insisted

o n j)layin{í b l a c k j a c k had t c c t h that stuck o u t

l i k e l ighthouses o n a r o c k y eoast

b u t he h a d no eyes to see

the dusk flash past

horses i n orehards noiselessly r u n n i n g

bunches of b i r d s t h r o w n u p

and the butterf i ies o f yesterday t h a t flittered o n ^ -

m v m i n d

H E A V E N . . .

H eaven was o n l y h a l f as f a r t h a t n i g h t

at t h e poetry r e c i t a l

l i s t e n i n g to t h e b u r n t phrases

w h e n I h e a r d the poet have

a r h y m i n g erec t ion

t h e n l o o k away w i t h a

,1 lost l o o k

'Every a n i m a l ' he said at last

'A í te r intercoiurse is sad'

B u t the baek-row lovers l o o k e d o b l i v i o u s

and glad

T H E W O R L D I S A B E A U T I F U L

P L A C E . . .

L h e w o r l d is a b e a u t i f u l place to be b o r n i n t o

i f y o u d o n ' t m i n d happiness n o t always be ing

80 very m u c h f u n i f y o u d o n ' t m i n d a t o u c h of h e l l

n o w and t h e n j u s t w h e n e v e r y t h i n g is fine

because even i n l ieaven they d o n ' t sing

a l l the t i m e

T h e w o r l d is a h e a u t i f u l place to be b o r n i n t o

i f y o u d o n ' t m i n d some people d y i n g a l l the t i m e

or maybe o n l y s tarv ing some of the t i m e

w h i c h i sn ' t h a l f so had i f i t i sn ' t y o u

O h t h e w o r l d is a h e a u t i f u l place to be b o r n i n t o

i f y o u d o n ' t m u c h m i n d a few dead m i n d s

i n the h i g h e r places or a b o m b or t w o

n o w and t h e n i n y o u r u p t u r n e d faces

or such o t h e r i m p r o p r i e t i e s , ;, as our Ñ a m e B r a n d society

'• •;•'•••:•,'[!, 'i, 18 p r e y to w i t h its m e n o f d i s t i n c t i o n

and its m e n of extinctionMi,^?! and its priests

i; a^nd o t h e r p a t r o l n i e n

and its various segregations a n d congressional invest igations

and other const ipat ions t h a t o u r f o o l flesh

is h e i r to

Yes the w o r l d is the hest place of a l l f o r a l o t of such things as

m a k i n g the f u n scene and m a k i n g the love scene

and m a k i n g the sad scene and singíng l o w songs and h a v i n g insp i ra t ions

and w a l k i n g a r o u n d l o o k i n g at e v e r y t h i n g

and s m e l l i n g flowers and gooRÍng statues . i

and even t h i n k i n g ' :' i and kiss ing people a n d

• m a k i n g babies and w e a r i n g ]>ants , >.•• and w a v i n g hats and

• ;' . 'v •. danc ing ! • a n d going s w i m m i n g i n r ivers

on picnics i n the m i d d l e of the s u m m e r

and j u s t gencral ly ' l i v i n g i t u p '

19

R E A D I N G Y E A T S I D O N O T

T H I N K , . .

R eading Yeats I do n o t t h i n k of I r e l a n d

b u t of m i d s u n i n i e r N e w Y o r k and of mysel f back t h e n

r e a d i n g t i i a t copy I f o u n d o n the T h i r d a v e n u e E l

t h e E l w i t h its í lyhung fans

and i ts signs reading S P I T T I N G IS F O K B I D D E N

the E l eareening t h r u its t h i r d s t o r y w o r l d

w i t h its t h i r d s t o r y people i n t h e i r t h i r d s t o r y doors

l o o k i n g as i f they h a d never h e a r d of the g r o u n d

an oíd dame w a t e r i n g her p l a n t

or a j o k e r ín a straw j>ul t ing a s t i c k p i n i n his p e p p e r m i n t t ie

and l o o k i n g j u s t l i k e he h a d nowhere to go b u t conevis land

o r an u n d e r s h i r t e d guy r o c k i n g i n his rocker

21

w a t c h i n g the E l pass h y ' ' ' ' ' < .. a» i f he expected i t to he d i f f e r e n t , . ,

each t i m e

R e a d i n g Yeats I do n o t t h i n k of A r c a d y

and of its woods w l i i c h Yeats t h o u g h t dead I t h i n k instead

of a l l the gone faces ge t t ing ofT at n i i d t o w n places

w i t h t h e i r hats and t h e i r jobs and of t h a t lost book T h a d

w i t h its b lue cover and its w h i t e ins ide where a j>encilhand had w r i t t e n

H O R S E M A N , PASS B Y !

22

S W E E T A N D V A R I O U S T H E

W O O D L A R K . . .

S w e e t and various the woodlark

who sings at the unbought gatc

and yet how many

wild beasts how many mad

in the civil thickets

Hólder l in i n his stone tower

o r i n t h a t k i n d r a r p e n t e r S house at T ü b i n g e n

o r t h e n R i m b a i u l

a sophisni of madness his ^nightniare and log ic '

B u t we have o u r o w n m o r e recent w h o also f a t a l l y assumed

t h a t some d i r e c t connect ion does exist between

language and r e a l i t y w o r d and w o r l d

w h i c h is a l a u g h i f y o u ask me

I too have d r u n k and seen t h e spider

23

from A C o n e y I s l a n d of the M i n d

1958

ttt.

I N G O Y A ' S G R E A T E S T S C E N E S W E

S E E M T O S E E . . .

X n Goya'a greatest scenes we seeni to see the people of the w o r l d

exact ly at t h e m o m e n t w h e n they first a t ta ined the t i t l e o f

1 ' suf fer ing h u m a n i t y ' T h e y w r i t h e u p o n the page

1 i n a v e r i t a b l e ragc I of advers i ty

H e a p e d U|) ' ' g roaning w i t h hables and bayonets

u n d e r cement skies i n an abstract landscape of blasted trees

bent Rtatues hats wings and beaks s l ippery gibbets

eadavers a n d carnivorous cocks , • and a l l the final h o l l e r i n g monsters ' i

o f the * i m a g i n a t i o n of disaster'

they are so b l o o d y real i t is as i f they r e a l l y s t i l l existed

A n d t h e y do ; •

O n l y the landscape is changcd

They s t i l l are ranged along the roads p lague i l b y legionaires

false w i n d m i l l s and demented roosters

T h e y are the same people o n l y f u r t h e r f r o m h o m e

o n freeways f i f t y lañes w i d e on u concrete r o n t i n e n t

spaced w i t h h l a i i d h i l l b o a r d s ,j i l l u s t r a t i n g in ihec i l e i l lunions o f happiness

T h e scene shows fewer t u m h r i l s h u t m o r e strut ig-out cit izens

i n p a i n t e d ears and they have strange license píate»

and engines t h a t devour A m e r i c a

28

T H E P O E T ' S E Y E O B S C E N E L Y

S E E I N G . . .

T h e poet's eye ohscenely seeing

sees the surface of the r o u n d w o r l d

w i t h its d r u n k r o o f t o p s

and wooden oíseaux o n clotheslines

a n d its r l a y males and feniales

w i t h h o t Ipgs and rosehud hreasts

i n roUaway beds

a n d its trees f u l l o f mysteries

and its Sunday parks and speechless statues

and its A m e r i c a

w i t l i its ghost towiis and e m p t y E l l i s Islands

and its surreal ist landscape of

mindless |»rairies

s u p e r m a r k e t suhurhs

steamhcated cemeteries

and protes t ing cathedrals

a kissproof w o r l d o f (dastic toiletseats tampax and taxis

drugged store cowboys and las vegas v i rg ins

d i sowncd indians a n d c i n e m a d matrons

u n r o m a n senators and ronscientious non-ofajectors

and a l l the o ther f a t a l shorn-up fragments

o f the i m m i g r a n t ' s d r e a m come too t r u e '.

^ n d m i s l a i d

aniong the sunbathers

S O M E T I M E U U R I N G E T E R N I T Y .

O o m e t i m e d u r i n g e t e r n i t y some guys show u p

and one of t h e m w h o shows up rea l late

is a k i n d of carpenter f r o m some square-type place

' l i k e Gal i lee and h e starts w a i l i n g

and c l a i m i n g he is h i p to w h o m a d e heaven

and ear th , and t h a t the cat

1, w h o r e a l l y l a i d it o n US ' i I , is his D a d

A n d moreover ' ',. ,' ' I he adds

It 'a a l l w r i t d o w n o n some scrol l - type parchments

which ' sortie h e n c h m e n leave l y i n g a r o u n d the Dead Sea somewheres

a l o n g t i m e ago and w h i c h y o u w o n ' t even find

f o r a coupla thousand years or so ;''•;;!,.•.',•••, . or at Icast f o r

n ineteen h u n d r e d áhd fortyseven of t h e m

to be exact and even t h e n

n o b o d y rea l ly believes t h e m or me

f o r t h a t m a t t e r

>e .H XisiGLÓ A M E R I C A N O

31

Y o u ' r e h o t

they t e l l h i m ^

A n d t l i ey cool h i m

T h e y stretch h i m on the Tree to cool

A n d everybody af ter t h a t is always m a k i n g models

of th i s Tree w i t h H i m h u n g up

and always c rooning H i s ñame and c a l l i n g H i m to come d o w n

and sit i n o n t h e i r combo

as i f he is the k i n g cat who's got to b l o w

or they can't q u i t e m a k c i t

O n l y he d o n ' t come d o w n f r o m H i s Tree

H i m j u s t hang there o n H i s Tree ' •

l o o k i n g rea l Petered o u t and rea l cool

and also aecording to a r o u n d u p

o f la te w o r l d news f r o m the usual u n r e l i a b l e sources

r e a l dead

T H E Y W E R E P U T T I N G U P T H E

S T A T U E . . . . •

T . J . bey were p u t t i n g u p the statue

of Saint Francis i n f r o n t of the c h u r c h

of Saint Francis • i n the c i ty of San Francisco

i n a l i t t l e side street j u s t ofT the Avenue

where no b i r d s sang and the sun was c o m i n g u p o n t i m e

i n its usual f as h io n and j u s t b e g i n n i n g to shine

o n t h e statue of Saint Francis w h e r e no b i r d s sang

A n d a l o t of oíd I ta l i ans were s tanding a l l a r o u n d *

i n the l i t t l e side street j u s t off the A v e n u e

w a t c h i n g the w i l y workers w h o were h o i s t i n g u p t h e statue

w i t h a c h a i n and a erane and o t h e r i m p l e m e n t s

A n d a l o t of y o u n g reporters i n b u t t o n - d o w n clothes

were t a k i n g d o w n the words of one y o u n g pr ies t

w h o was p r o p p i n g u p t h e statue w i t h a l l his arguments

A n d a l l the w h i l e w h i l e no b i r d s sang

any Saint Francis Passion

33

a n d w h i l e t h e lookers k e p t l o o k i n g I u p at Saint Franeis

w i t h h is tírms o u l s t r e t r h e d to the b i rds w h i c h weren ' t there

a very t a l l and very p u r e l y n a k e d y o u n g v i r g i n

w i t h very l o n g and very s t ra ight straw h a i r ,

and w e a r i n g o n l y a very sn ia l l , ,, i, . bird ' s nest ' '

i n a very ex is tent ia l place k e p t passing t h r u the c r o w d

al l the w h i l e and u p and d o w n the steps

i n f r o n t of Saint Francis h e r eyes downcast a l l t l u ; w h i l e

• y:'' (...'I ,,•: i'-^'i'*'!'^^''':'• and s inging to herself

W H A T C O U L D S H E S A Y T O T H E

F A N T A S T I C F O O L Y B E A R . . .

at cítitid she say to the fantas l i r fno lvbear an i l w l i a l c o u l d she .«ay to b r o t l i c r and w h a t c o u l d she say , " . ' ( , i, . •

to the cat w i t h f t i t u r e feet and w h a t c o u l d she say to n i o t b e r af ter that t i m e t h a t she lay l u s h

aniong the l o l l y flowers o n t h a t h o t r i v c r b a n k

where ferns f e l l away i n the h r o k c n a i r of the b r e a t h of her lover

a iu l b i r d s went ntad i j , !,• and t h r e w themselves f r o m trees to taste s t i l l h o t u p o n the grí)und

the s p i l l c d sperm seed

i-m-r-v"»',; 17:111

I N G O L D E N G A T E P A R K T H A T -lili'''-'

D A Y . . .

Iii ( íoMen Gato, P a r k t h a t day a m a n and his w i f e were c o m i n g a long

t h r u the enornious meadow w h i c h was the meadow of t l i e w o r l d

H e was w e a r i n g green sus]ienders and c a r r y i n g an oíd beat-up flute

i n one h a n d w h i l e his w i f e h a d a b u n c l i of grapes

w h i c h she k e p t I i a n d i n g o u t i n d i v i d u a l l y

• to various squirrels . . as i f each

1 were a l i t t l e j o k e

A n d t h e n the t w o of t h e m came o n t h r u the enormous meadow

w h i c h was t h e meadow of the w o r l d :'<}[ and t h e n

at a very s t i l l si>ot where the trees dreamed a n d seemed to have been w a i t i n g t h r u a l l t i m e

f o r t h e m they sat d o w n together on the grass

w i t h o u t l o o k i n g at each other and ate oranges

w i t h o u t l o o k i n g at each o t h e r a n d p u t the peéis

36

i n a basket w h i c h t h e y seemed to have b r o u g h t f o r t h a t purpose

w i t h o u t l o o k i n g at each other

A n d t h e n he t o o k his s h i r t and u n d e r s h i r t off

b u t k e p t h is h a t o n sideways

and w i t h o u t saying a n y t h i n g f e l l asleep u n d e r i t

A n d his w i f e j u s t sat there l o o k i n g at the b i r d s w h i c h flew about

ea l l ing to each o t h e r i n the s t i l l y a ir

as i f they were ques t ion ing existence or t r y i n g to r e c a l l something f o r g o t t c n

B u t t h e n finally she too lay d o w n flat

and j u s t lay there l o o k i n g u p at n o t h i n g

yet fingering t h e oíd flute w h i c h n o b o d y p l a y e d

and finally l o o k i n g over at h i m

w i t h o u t any p a r t i c u l a r expression except a cer ta in a w f u l l o o k

of t e r r i b l e depression

37

ttto.

S E E I T W A S L I K E T H I S W H E N

S e e i t was l i k c this w h e n

we w a l l z i n t o th i s place a couple of Papish cats

is d o i n g an Aztec two-step A n d I says

D a d let's cut b u t then this dame

comes u p b e h i n d me see and says

Y o u and me c o u l d r e a l l y exist W o w I says

O n l y the next day she has had teeth

and rea l ly liates

38

w

I H A V E N O T L A I N W I T H B E A U T Y

A L L M Y L I F E . . .

I have n o t Jaln w i t h beauty a l l my l i f e t e l l i n g over to myself ,, I its most r i f e charms

I have not l a i n w i t i i beauty a l l m y l i f e ! and l i e d w i t h i t as w e l l

t e l l i n g over to mysel f h o w beauty never dies

b u t lies apart among the aborigines

o f a r t and far above the battlefíelds

o f l o v e

I t is above a l l t h a t o h yes

I t sits u p o n the choicest of C h u r c h seats

u p there where ar t directors nieet ' to choose the things for i m m o r t a l i t y

A n d they have l a i n w i t h beauty a l l t h e i r lives

A n d they have f e i l o n honeydew and d r u n k the wines of Paradise

so t h a t they k n o w exact ly h o w a t h i n g (íf beauty is a j o y

forever and forever and h o w i t never never

q u i t e can fade i n t o a money- los ing nothingness

39

O h no I have not l a i n o n Beauty Hests l i k e th i s

a f r a i d to rise at n i g h t f o r fear t h a t I m i g h t soinehow miss

some n iovement beauty m i g h t have m a d e Y e t I have slept w i t h beauty

i n m y o w n w e i r d way íind I have made a l i u n g r y seene or t w o

w i t h beauty i n m y b e d and so s p i l l e d out another poem or t w o

and so spiBed o u t another poem o r t w o u p o n the Bosch- l ike w o r l d

N O T L I K E D A N T E . . .

. N o t l i k e Dante

discover ing a commedia

u p o n t h e slopes of heaven

I w o u l d p a i n t a d i f f e r e n t k i n d

of Paradiso

i n w h i c h the people w o u l d be naked

as they always are

i n scenes l i k e t h a t

beeause i t is supposed to be

a p a i n t i n g of t h e i r souls

b u t t l i e re w o u l d be no anxious angeis t e l l i n g t h e m

h o w heaven is

the perfect p i e t u r e of

a m o n a r e h y

41

C O N S T A N T L Y R I S K I N G

A B S U R D I T Y . . .

Constantly risking absiirdity and death

whenever he perfornis ahove the hcads

of hiH audience the poet like an acrobat

elinih.s on r i m e to a h i g h w i r e of his o w n m a k i n g

and halaneing o n eyebeanis above a sea of faces

paces his way to the o t h e r side of day

p e r f o r n i i n g entrecl ials and s le ight-of- foot t r i c k s

and o t h e r h i g h theatr ics and a l l without mistaking

any t h i n g f o r w l i a t i t may n o t he

F o r he's t h e super real ist w h o nuist perforce perccive

t a u t t r u t h before the t a k i n g of eacb stance or step

i n his supposed advance t o w a r d t h a t s t i l l h i g h e r p e r d í

where Beauty stands and waits w i t h g r a v i t y

to start her dea th-defy lng leap

43

«6,

And he a l i t t l e c h a r l e y c h a p l i n m a n

w h o m a y or m a y n o t catch h e r f a i r eternal f o r m

spreadeagled i n the e m p t y a i r of existence

44

T H E P E N N Y C A N D Y S T O R E B E Y O N D

T H E E L . . .

J . he pennycandystore h e y o n d the E l is where I first

f e l l i n love w i t h u n r e a l i t y

Jellyheans g lowed i n the se ini -gloom of t h a t september a f t e r n o o n A eat u p o n the counter m o v e d among

the l i c o r i c e sticks and tootsie ro l l s

and O h B o y G u m

Outs ide the leaves were f a l l i n g as they d i e d

A w i n d h a d b l o w n away the sun

A g i r l r a n i n I l e r h a i r was r a i n y H e r hreasts were breathless ín the l i t t l e r o o m

Outs ide the leaves were f a l l i n g and they cr ied

T o o soon! too soon!

D O V E S T A A M O R E

^ ) o v e sta amore

W h e r e Hes love

D o v e Bta amore

H e r e lies love

T h e r i n g dove love

I n l y r i c a l d e l i g h t

H e a r love's h i l l s o n g

Love's t r u e w i l l s o n g

Lovers l o w pla insong

T o o sweet painsong

I n passages of n i g h t

Dove sta amore

^ H e r e lies love

T h e r i n g dove love

Dove sta amore

H e r e lies love

A U T O B I O G R A P H Y /

I a m l e a d i n g a quie t l i f e i n Mike ' s Place every day w a t c h i n g the champs of the Dante B i l J i a r d P ar lo r and the Fren<'h p i n b a l l addiets. I am leading a q u i e t l i f e o n l o w e r East B r o a d w a y . I a m an A m e r i c a n . I was an A m e r i c a n hoy . I read the A m e r i c a n B o y Magazinc and hecame a b o y scout i n the suburbs. I t h o u g h t I was T o m Sawyer ca tch ing r r avf i s h i n the B r o n x R i v e r and i m a g i n i n g the Miss iss ippi . I had a baseball m i t and an A m e r i c a n F l y e r b i k e . I de l ivere i l the Woman's H o m e C o m p a n i o n at five i n the a f ternoon or the H e r a l d T r i b at five i n the n i o r n i n g . I s t i l l r a n hear the paper t h u n i p o n lost porches. I h a d an u n h a p p y <-hildhood. I saw L i n d b e r g l a n d . I l o o k e d h o m e w a r d and saw no ángel . I g()l caught s teal ing |)encils f r o m the F ive and T e n Cent Store the same m o n t h I made Eagle Scout. I ehopped trees f o r the CCC and sat on t h e m .

I landcH i n N o r m a n d y i n a r o w b o a t t h a t t u r n e d over. •, I have seen the edurated armies o n t l ie b e a t l i at Dover . I have seen E g y p t i a n p i l o t s i n p u r p l e clouds sliopkeepers r o l l i n g u p t h e i r h l i n d s at m i d d a y pota to salad and dandel ions at anarchist picnics . I ani reading ' L o r n a Doone ' and a l i f e of J o h n Most t e r r o r of the i n d u s t r i a l i s t a b o m b on his desk at a l l t imes. I have seen the garbagemen parade i n the C o l u m b u s D a y Parade ^ b e h i n d the g l i b f a r t i n g t rumpeters . I have not been o u t to the Cloisters i n a l o n g t i m e ñor to the Tui le r iea ; , b u t I s t i l l keej> t h i n k i n g of going. , , I have seen the garbagemen parade w h e n i t was snowing . I have eaten l iotdogs i n b a l l p a r k s . I have heard the Get tysburg Address and the ( i i nsbe rg Address . I l i k e i t here and I w o n ' t go back where I came f r o m . I too have r i d d e n boxcars boxcars boxcars. I have t rave l l ed among u n k n o w n m e n . I have been i n Asia w i t h ÍVoah i n the A r k . I was i n I n d i a w h e n R o m e was b u i l t .

I have been i n the Manger w i t h an Ass. I have seen the E t e r n a l D i s t r i b u t o r f r o m a W h i t e H i l l i n South San Francisco and the L a u g h i n g W o m a n at L o o n a P a r k outside the F u n House i n a great r a i n s t o r m s t i l l l a u g h i n g . I have heard the sound of reve l ry b y n i g h t . I have wandered lone ly as a c r o w d . I am leading a i p i i e t l i f e outside of M i k e ' s Place every day w a t c h i n g the w o r l d w a l k by i n i ts cur ious shoes.í»! -> ¡- '. I once started out to w a l k a r o u n d the w o r l d b u t ended up i n B r o o k l y n . T h a t B r i d g e was too m u c l i f o r me. I have engaged i n silence exi le and e u n n i n g . , :; \X flew too near the sun i and m y wax wings f e l l off, I a m l o o k i n g f o r m y Oíd M a n w h o m I never k n e w . I a m l o o k i n g for t l ie Lost Leader w i t h w h o m I flew. Y o u n g m e n s h o u l d be explorers . H o m e is where one starts f r o m . B u t M o l h e r never t o l d me t h e r e ' d be scenes l i k e t h i s . W o m b - w e a r y I rest

I have t r a v e l l e d .

49

I have seen ¡£<>of e i ty . H Í I I l lave seen i h e nías» inetss. I have heard k i d ( t r y i r y . I l lave l i c a r d a t r o n i h o n e preach. I have h e a r d Dehussy , ; ^ s tra ined t h n i a sheet. I have slept i n a h u n d r e d islands where books were trees. ' Í ; , i I have h e a r d the b i r d s t h a t sound l i k e bells.

-y T havc^woriT_grev flaniieHrousers

and w a l k o d U]»on the beach o f j j j l l . ', - X h a - v e - d w e l t i u a hundred .c i t i e s ; ,

where trees were books. . J™;.:- I ,. IJ| ¡\, ' i ' W h a t subways w h a t taxis w h a t cafes ! ' W h a t w om e i i w i t l i b l i t i d hreasts ,¡,í'i/i" . l i m b s lost among skyscrapcrs! , ^¡i'^í'V : : ^ •

I have seen the statues of héroes ' ,: V j MÍ^, , at earrefours. \ D a n t o n weeping at a m e t r o entrai ice ,'! t, \C o l u m b u s i n Barcelona .í n'! p o i n t i n g W e s t w a r d uji the Ramblas 'liii;. i " • ; t o w a r d the A m e r i c a n Express ; V, '.^\'.¡):i:\-i.jii:;\'::-

L i n c o l n i n his stony cha i r v'''''i,'i,''':' .,, ' '

A n d a great Stone Face ó i'''i.i'i ! íiKík(';!''!i''

i n N o r t h Dakota . Ji|í: íjl;>r.. i;ni..i.v.'í;.';ií),i';'íi,''.• I k n o w that C o l u m b u s ,' •yi'i^'ivi ' ' d i d not ¡nvent A m e r i c a . ' i ' I have heard a h u n d r e d housebroken Ezra Pounds. T h e y should a l l be f reed. I t is l o n g since I was a herdsman. i/ ' .i^iV

I am l e a d i n g a q u i e t l i f e .'¡••••i:' V ' " ; ' i . " , ! ' ' i n Mike ' s Place every day ^ ; ' ; , / ! ' r e a d i n g the Classified columns. t I have read the Reader'a Digest f r o m cover to cover i , , , S í'.

and noted t h e cióse i d e n t i f i c a t i o n of the U n i t e d States and the Promised L a n d where every c o i n is m a r k e d I n God W e T r u s t b u t the d o l l a r b i l i s do n o t have i t be ing god» u n t o themselves. I read the W a n t Ads d a i l y l o o k i n g f o r a stone a leaf an u n f o u n d door . I hear A m e r i c a s inging i n the Y e l l o w Pages. One c o u l d never t e l l ' t h e soul has its rages. I read the papers every day and hear h u m a n i t y amiss i n the sad p l e t h o r a of p r i n t . I see w h e r e W a l d e n P o n d has been d r a i n e d to m a k e an amusement p a r k . I see they ' re m a k i n g M e l v i l l e eat his whale . I see another war is c o m i n g b u t I w o n ' t be there to fight i t . ' I have read the w r i t i n g o n the outhouse w a l l . I h e l p e d K i l r o y w r i t e i t . I m a r c h e d u p F i f t h Avenue b l o w i n g o n a bugle i n a t i g h t p l a t o o n b u t h u r r i e d back to the Casbah l o o k i n g f o r m y dog. I see a s i m i l a r i t y between dogs and me. Dogs are the t rue observers w a l k i n g u p and d o w n the w o r l d t h r u the M o l l o y eountry . I have w a l k e d d o w n alleys too n a r r o w f o r Cbryslers .

I have seen a hun(h-ed horseless m i l k w a g o n s i n a vacant l o t i n A s t o r i a . B e n Shahn never p a i n t e d t h e m h u t they ' re there T'' i , , •; . askew i n A s t o r i a . ' r/' ' • ,: I have h e a r d the j u n k m a n ' s o b h l i g a t o . i I have r i d d e n superhighways and bel ieved the b i l l b o a r d ' s promises Crossed the Jersey F ía ts \ . and seen the Cities of the P l a i n A n d w a l l o w e d i n the w i l d s of Westehester w i t h its r o v i n g bands of natives i n stationwagons. I have seen t h e m . Í : i , I a m the m a n . - i ^ ^ : !. > > I was there . ^ „• ••..i • I suffered somewhat . ' . : i . • I am an A m e r i c a n . ' . Ü . , I have a passport. '''.':'.-:;*.',,'•,',!•••.;•• I d i d n o t suflfer in p u b l i c . i ' > i i : A n d I ' n i too young to d ie . i " i : I am a selfmade m a n . i i,¡ A n d I have plans f o r the f u t u r e . I a m i n l i n e ' i •! f o r a t o p Job. i, ; j ; i . i ; , . , ' : • • • ! I m a y be m o v i n g o n ,, , - i - ' to D e t r o i t . / ; i I a m o n l y t e m p o r a r i l y l ' i . i. f' . i: ' • a t i e salesman. .;! : i i ; I a m a good Joe. •': '.. .:: •< i .í;f I a m an open book ,( . i ,. i ,; , to m y boss. ' I a m a complete mystery > f i ; > ;. /, ;. to m y closest f r i e n d s . , i . .

I a m leading a q u i e t l i f e i n Mike ' s Place every day c o n t e m p l a t i n g m y navel . i I a m a p a r t ' f ' of the body's l o n g madness. I have wandered i n various n i g h t w o o d I have leaned i n d r u n k e n doorways. I have w r i t t e n w i l d stories w i t h o u t p u n c t u a t i o n . I a m the m a n . I was there . I suffered • somewhat . r I have sat i n an uneasy cha i r . I a m a tear of the sun. > I am a h i l l where poets r u n . ! i ; ' , I i n v e n t e d the a lphabet af ter w a t c h i n g the flight of cranes w h o made letters w i t h t h e i r legs. I a m a lake u p o n a p l a i n . , , ;/ I a m a w o r d , i n a tree. <i -I a m a h i l l of poe t ry . I a m a r a i d o n the i n a r t i c u l a t e . ' I have d r e a m t t h a t a l l m y teeth f e l l o u t b u t m y tongue l i v e d ' i ' . to t e l l t h e tale . F o r I a m a s t i l l ' ( ; : „ • -of poe t ry . , I a m a b a n k of song. I am a p l a y e r p i a n o i, ' i i n an abandoned casino - :

o n a seasidc es¡>lanade i n a dense fog s t i l l p l a y i n g . I see a s i m i l a r i t y between the L a u g h i n g W o m a n and myself . I have heard the sound of summer i n the r a i n . I have seen girls on boardwalks have r o n i p l i e a t e d sensations. I unders tand t h e i r hesitat ions. I a m a gatherer of f r u i t . I have seen h o w kisses cause e u p h o r i a . I have r i sked enchantment . I have seen the V i r g i n i n an appletree at Cl iartres A n d Saint Joan b u r n at the B e l l a U n i o n . I have seen giraffes i n j u n g l e j i m s t h e i r necks l i k e love w o n n d a r o u n d the i r o n circumstanees of the w o r l d . I have seen the Venus A p h r o d i t e armless i n her d r a f t y c o r r i d o r . I have heard a s iren sing at One F i f t h Av e nue . I have seen the W h i t e Goddess danc ing i n the R u é des Beaux A r t s o n the F o u r t e e n t h of J u l y and the B e a u t i f u l D a m e W i t h o u t M e r c y p i c k i n g her nose i n Chumley ' s . She d i d not speak E n g l i s h . She h a d y e l l o w h a i r and a hoarse voice and no b i r d sang.

I a m l e a d i n g a quie t l i f e i n M i k e ' s Place every day w a t c h i n g the pocket p o o l players m a k i n g the ni inestrone scene w o l f i n g the macaronis and I have read somewhere the M e a n i n g of Existence yet have f o r g o t t c n j u s t exactly where . B u t I am the m a n A n d F U be there . A n d I ma y cause the l ips of those w h o are asleep to speak. A n d I ma y m a k e m y notebooks i n t o sheaves of grass. A n d I m a y w r i t e m y o w n eponymous e p i t a p h i n s t r u c t i n g the horsemen to pass.

55

D O G

T h e dog trots f ree ly i n the Street ; i : and sees reality"'^'*'"*'* and the things he sees , . • > •.. >• are bigger t h a n h i m s e l f , i , . • ; . ' > . • , , and the things he sees • • • are his r e a l i t y / , •! D r i m k s i n doorways ¡ ' • , ; • Moons o n trees • !• ;.'.>;•' T h e dog trots f ree ly t h r u the street • .1 j and the things he sees are snial ler t h a n h imse l f ,. , i -F i s h o n news|)rint ' i Ants i n holes • > ••: .•/,: Chickens ín C h i n a t o w n w i n d o w s : 1 t h e i r heads a b l o c k away j v: . T h e dog trots f ree ly i n the street Í V Í . , ' , ' Ü ; , ' ; , ; ;

and the things he smells , , , ; smel l someth ing l i k e h i m s e l f ' T h e dog trots f ree ly i n the street ,! , ;! pasl puddles and hables eats and cigars i poolrooms and p o l i c e m e n H e doesn't hate cops H e m e r e l y has no use f o r t h e m ! and he goes past t h e m and jiast the dead cows h u n g u p w h o l e ' i n f r o n t of the San Francisco Meat M a r k e t : , H e w o u l d r a t h e r eat a tender cow ;, i , t h a n a t o u g h p o l i c e m a n r t h o u g h e i ther m i g h t do A n d he goes past the Romeo R a v i o l i Factory and past Coit 's T o w e r

and past Congressman D o y l e o f the U n a m e r i c a n C o m m i t t e e

56

He's a f r a i d of Coit 's T o w e r b u t he's n o t a f r a i d of Congressman Doyle a l t h o u g h w h a t he hears is very discouraging very depressing very absurd ' to a sad y o u n g dog l i k e h imse l f to a s e r i o m dog l i k e h imse l f B u t he has his o w n free w o r l d to l i v e i n H i s own fleas to eat H e w i l l not be m u z z l e d Congressman D o y l e is j u s t another ' í' fire h y d r a n t to h i m T h e dog trots f ree ly i n the street a n d has his o w n dog's l i f e to l i v e and to t h i n k about a n d to reflect u p o n t o u c h i n g and tast ing and test ing e v e r y t h i n g ' inves t igat ing e v e r y t h i n g w i t h o u t benef i t of p e r j u r y a rea l real ist w i t h a rea l tale to t e l l and a rea l t a i l to t e l l i t w i t h a rea l l i v e

b a r k i n g I deraocratie dog

engaged i n rea l free enterprise

w i t h someth ing to say about onto logy

someth ing to say ' about r e a l i t y

and h o w to see i t ' a n d h o w to hear i t

w i t h h is head eoeked sideways , at streetcorners

as i f he is j u s t about to have his p i c t u r e taken

f o r V i c t o r Records l i s t e n i n g f o r

H i s Master's Voice and l o o k i n g

l i k e a l i v i n g ques t ionmark i n t o t h e

great gramophone o f p u z z l i n g existence

w i t h its wondrous h o l l o w b o r n w h i c h always seems

j u s t about to spout f o r t h some V i c t o r i o u s answer

to e v e r y t h i n g

58

I A M W A I T I N G

I a m w a i t i n g f o r m y case to eome u p and I a m w a i t i n g f o r a r e b i r t h o f w o n d e r and I am w a i t i n g f o r someone to r e a l l y discover A m e r i c a and w a i l a n d I a m w a i t i n g f o r the discovery of a new symbol ic western f r o n t i e r and I a m w a i t i n g f o r the A m e r i c a n Eagle to r e a l l y spread its wings a n d s t ra ighten up and fly r i g h t a n d I a m w a i t i n g i f o r the Age^gf A n x i e t y .jL3J>'--^ ^ to d r o p dead and I am w a i t i n g f o r the war to be f o u g h t

w h i c h w i l l make the w o r l d safe j ^ /T^^j^vvVijX. f o r anarchy •e^''"'^_ / " and I a m w a i t i n g f o r the final w i t h e r i n g away of a l l governments and I am [ l e r p e t u a l l y a w a i t i n g a r e b i r t h o f wonder

I a m w a i t i n g f o r the Second C o m i n g and I a m w a i t i n g f o r a re l ig ious r e v i v a l to sweep t h r u the state o f A r i z o n a and I am w a i t i n g

f o r the Grapes of W r a t h to be stored and I a m w a i t i n g f o r t h e m to prove t h a t God is r e a l l y A m e r i r a n and I íim w a i t i n g to see God on televisión p i p e d onto c h u r c h altara i f only they can find the r i g h t channel to tune i n on and I a m w a i t i n g f o r the Last Supper to he served again w i t h a strange new appetizer and I a m p e r p e t u a l l y a w a i t i n g a r e b i r t h of w o n d e r

I am w a i t i n g f o r m y nund>cr to he called and I a m w a i t i n g f o r the Salvat ion A r m y to take over ' and I a m w a i t i n g f o r the meek to be blessed and i n h e r i t the ear th w i t h o u t taxes Í ' and I am w a i t i n g f o r forests and animáis to r e c l a i m the e a r t h as theirs and I a m w a i t i n g f o r a way to be devised to destroy a l l nat ional i sms w i t h o u t k i l l i n g a n y b o d y and I a m w a i t i n g f o r l innets and planets to f a l l l i k e r a i n and I am w a i t i n g f o r lovers and weepers to l i e d o w n together again i n a new r e b i r t h of w o n d e r

« 6

I a m w a i t i n g for the Great D i v i d e to be crossed and I a m anxiously w a i t i n g f o r the secret of eternal l i f e to be discovered b y an obseure general p r a c t i t i o n e r and I a m w a i t i n g ' , f o r the storms of l i f e to be over and I am w a i t i n g ' i ! ; • . to set sail f o r happiness and I am w a i t i n g ; f o r a reconstructed M a y f l o w e r to reach A m e r i c a : w i t h its p i c t u r e story and t v r ights ' sold i n advance to the natives a n d I a m w a i t i n g , • ) f o r the lost music to sound again , • • i n the Lost C o n t i n e n t i n a new r e b i r t h of wonder

I a m w a i t i n g f o r the day ! , t h a t m a k e t h a l l th ings clear and I a m a w a i t i n g r e t r i b u t i o n ¡ i f o r w h a t A m e r i c a d i d i í . i / ( to T o m Sawyer and I am w a i t i n g f o r the A m e r i c a n B o y to take off Beauty's clothes and get o n top of her : and I a m w a i t i n g f o r A l i c e i n W o n d e r l a n d to r e t r a n s m i t to m e h e r t o t a l d r e a m of innocence and I am w a i t i n g f o r C h i l d e R o l a n d to come to t h e final darkest to wer

and I a m w a i t i n g , O f o r A p h r o d i t e _ *:Sf:4t^ O k A V W M I ' to grow l i v e arms at a fínal d i sarmament conference i n a new r e b i r t h of w o n d e r

I a m w a i t i n g -to get some i n t i m a t i o n s •% ^ — of i m m o r t a l i t y \ b y recol lec t ing m y ear ly c h i l d h o o d and I a m w a i t i n g f o r the green morn i ngs to come again youth 's d u m b green fields come back again and I a m w a i t i n g f o r some strains of u n p r e m e d i t a t e d a r t to shake m y t y p e w r i t e r and I am w a i t i n g to w r i t e the great i n d e l i b l e poem and I a m w a i t i n g f o r the last l o n g careless r a p t u r e and I a m p e r p e t u a l l y w a i t i n g f o r the fleeing lovers on the C r e c í a n U r n to catch each other u p at last and embrace and I a m a w a i t i n g p e r p e t u a l l y and forever a renaissanee of w o n d e r *

62

H I D D E N D O O R

( H y m n t o M a c h a P i c c h u , a f t e r I S e r u d a )

H ídden door dead secret ' w h i c h is M o t h e r ' ,',

H i d d e n door dead secret w h i c h is Fa ther

H i d d e n door dead secret of o u r h u r i e d Hfe

H i d d e n d o o r b e h i n d w h i c h m a n carries his f o o t p r i n t s a long the streets

H i d d e n door of clay hands k n o c k i n g H i d d e n door w i t h o u t handles

wliose l i f e is made of knocks b y h a n d and f o o t Poor h a n d poor foot poor l i f e !

H i d d e n door w i t h h a i r f o r hinges H i d d e n door w i t h l ips f o r latches , H i d d e n door w i t h skeletons f o r keys H i d d e n door a u t o b i o g r a p h y of h u m a n i t y H i d d e n door d i c t i o n a r y o f the universe H i d d e n door j ia l impsest of mysel f H i d d e n door I ' m made of

w i t h m y stieks of l i m b s H i d d e n door pathet ic f a l l a c y

of the evidence of the senses as to the nature of r e a l i t y

H i d d e n door i n b l i n d eyes of termites t h a t k n o c k k n o c k

H i d d e n door b l i n d m a n w i t h t i n cup o n a stone córner deaf and d u m b

H i d d e n door t r a i n - w h i s t l e lost i n book of n i g h t

H i d d e n door on night ' s wheels I b l u n d e r i n g f o l l o w l i k e a rhinoceros d r i n k i n g t h r o u g h cities

«tu

H i d d e n door of carr ier - j i igeons 'wings w h i c h have l i a l f - f o r g o t t e n t h e i r des t inat ion

H i d d e n door j i lane's w i n g t h a t skids i n space casting stone shadow o n s u n d i a l of e a r t h

H i d d e n door f i y i n g boxear of h i s t o r y H i d d e n door of Sunday w i t h o u t c h u r c h H i d d e n door of a n i m a l faces a n i m a l l aughter a n i m a l dreams

and h i d d e n door Cro-Magnon M a n among machines

H i d d e n door d a r k forest of A m e r i c a k n o c k k n o c k i n N o r t h D a k o t a

H i d d e n door t h a t wings over A m e r i c a and slants over San Francisco a n d slams i n t o the Pacif ic d r i f t i n g e terna l ly s o u t h w a r d to T i e r r a d e l Fuego w i t h a k n o c k k n o c k undersea at lost door of L o t a coal mines

H i d d e n door s u r f b o a r d to lost shore of l i g h t a n d h i d d e n door floated u p on tides l i k e a s h i p w r e c k e d co f f in l id bear ing b l i n d mouths b l i n d hreasts b l i n d t h o u g h t h r o u g h the centuries

H i d d e n door sea-angel cast-up Albatross spout ing seasperm o f love i n t h i r t y languages and the love-ship of l i f e sunk by the poison-squid of hate

H i d d e n door double -winged s t i c k y - b i r d p l u m e d serpent s tuck to m o o n afire forever d r u n k i n t i m e flapping loóse i n e tern i ty

H i d d e n door of the f u t u r e myst ic l i f e among Magellan's nebulae a n d h i d d e n door of m y m i s l a i d v i s ionary self

66

H i d d e n door San L u i s rope-br idge w h i c h is m a n h u n g between n a t u r e and s p i r i t

H i d d e n door of the s p i r i t seen as a fleshy t h i n g and h i d d e n door of eyes and vulvas t h a t s t i l l open o n ly w i t h a key of cart i lage and flesh and h i d d e n door f rozen Inea m u m m y P r in c e of the P l o m o f u c k e d to death i n sun-god sacrifice

H i d d e n door t i n cup of b l i n d b r o t h e r mutes crouched o n a Cuzco córner b l o w i n g b a m b o o flutes at coca m i d n i g h t

H i d d e n door of the Andes at ten thousand feet i n a ragged mis t of ru ins and r e d hor izons w i t h seacoast h u n g be low s t i l l lost am o n g conquistadors horses dogs and incomprehens ib le laws

H i d d e n door w i l d r i v e r of the U r u b a m b a u p o n w h i c h s t i l l floats somewhere the lost h e r b t h a t separates soul f r o m b o d y and h i d d e n door w h i c h is i tsel f t h a t h e r b and h i d d e n door w h i c h is t h a t separat ion and h i d d e n door made of m i r r o r s o n the waters of th i s r i v e r i n w h i c h I cannot see b e y o n d myse l f because m y body's i n the way

H i d d e n door at last I see t h r o u g h b e y o n d dear b o d y bag of bones w h i c h I leave naked o n a roek

H i d d e n door I wigless c l i m b to beyond t h a t r i v e r

H i d d e n door at last I f a l l t h r o u g h i n the lost end of day

I t is dusk b y the t i m e we get to

M a c h u P i c c h u Some Indians go b y danc ing ¡daying t l i e i r flutes and beat ing d r u m s

Peru-Chile, January-February, 1960

i

68

U N D E R W E A R

I d i d n ' t get m u c h sleep last n i g h t t h i n k i n g about u n d e r w e a r ^ H a v e y o u ever stopped to consider underwear i n the abstract ' W h e n y o u r e a l l y d i g i n t o i t some shocking problems are raised U n d e r w e a r is someth ing we a l l have to deal w i t h j , ; ' Everyone wears some k i n d of u n d e r w e a r Even I n d i a n s wear u n d e r w e a r i Even Cubans wear u n d e r w e a r T h e Pope wears underwear I h o p e T h e G o v e r n o r of Lonis iana wears underwear , , , I saw h i m o n T V H e must have h a d t i g h t u n d e r w e a r H e s q u i r m e d a l o t U n d e r w e a r can rea l ly get y o u i n a b i n d Y o u have seen the underwear ads f o r m e n and w o m e n so a l i k e b u t so d i f f e r e n t Women's u n d e r w e a r holds things u p Men's u n d e r w e a r holds th ings d o w n U n d e r w e a r is one t h i n g m e n and w o m e n have i n c o m m o n U n d e r w e a r is a l l we have between us Y o u have seen the three-color pictures w i t h crotches eneirc led to show the áreas of extra s trength

and three-way stretch p r o m i s i n g f u l l f r e e d o m of ac t ion D o n ' t he deceived It 's a l l based on the t w o - p a r t y system w h i c h doesn't a l l o w m u c h f reedom of ehoice the way ih ings are set u p A m e r i c a i n its U n d e r w e a r struggles t h r u the n i g h t U n d e r w e a r r o n t r o l s e v e r y t h i n g i n the end Take f o u n d a t i o n garments f o r instance T h e y are r e a l l y fascist f o r m s of u n d e r g r o u n d government m a k i n g peoj>le bel ieve someth ing b u t the t r u t h t e l l i n g y o u w h a t y o u can or can't do D i d y o u ever t r y to get a r o u n d a g i r d l e Perhaiis N o n - V i o l e n t A c t i o n is the o n l y answer D i d G a n d h i wear a g i r d l e ? D i d L a d y M a c h e t h wear a g i r d l e ? Was t h a t w h y M a c h e t h m u r d e r e d sleep? — A n d that spot she was always r u b b i n g — Was i t r e a l l y i n h e r u n d e r w e a r ? M o d e r n anglosaxon ladies must have huge g u i l t complexes always washing and washing and w a s h i n g O u t damned spot

Underwear w i t h spots very suspicious U n d e r w e a r w i t h bulges very shock ing Underwear o n d o t h e s l i n e a great flag of f r e e d o m Someone has escaped his U n d e r w e a r M a y be naked somewhere H e l p ! B u t d o n ' t w o r r y Everybody 's s t i l l h u n g u p i n i t

70

T h e r e w o n ' t be no rea l r e v o l u t i o n A n d |)oetry s t i l l the u n d e r w e a r o f t h e soul A n d underwear s t i l l cover ing a m u l t i t u d e of faul ts i n the geological sense— strange sedinientary stones, inscrutable cracks! I f I were y o u I ' d keep aside an oversize p a i r o f w i n t e r u n d e r w e a r Do not go naked i n t o t h a t good n i g h t A n d i n the m e a n t i m e keep calni and w a r m and d r y N o use s t i r r i n g ourselves up p r e m a t u r e l y 'over N o t h i n g ' i M o v e f o r w a r d w i t h d i g n i t y .1 h a n d i n vest D o n ' t get e m o t i o n a l A n d death sha l l have no dominión Therc 's p l e n t y of t i m e m y d a r l i n g A r e we not s t i l l y o u n g and easy D o n ' t s l iout

71

C O M E L I E W I T H M E A N D

B E M Y L O V E

C orne lie witli me and be my love

Love lie with me

; • Lie down with me

Under the cypress tree

In the sweet grasses

, / Where the wind lieth '

/ ^ ; Where the wind dieth [

•,,) As night passes

;,y¡i,! ., Come lie with me

( All night with me

' And have enough of kissing me

And have enough of making love

And let our two selves speak

All night under the cypress tree

Without making love

72

T H E G R E A T C H I N E S E D R A G O N

T^he great Chinese dragón which is the greatest dragón in all the world and which once upon a time was towed across the Pacific by a crew

, ,' , of coolies rowing in an open boat—was I I the first real live dragón ever actually

to reach these shores And the great Chinese dragón passing thru the Golden Gate

, ,, sprouting streams of water like a string ,, . 1 of fireboats then broke loóse somewhere

near China Camp gulped down a hun­dred Chinese seamen and forthwith ate up all the shrimp in San Francisco Hay

And the great Chinese dragón was therefore forever after I eonfined in a Chinatown basement and

, ,; ever since allowed out only for Chinese ¡;,, New Year's parades and other Un-

, ;„ ; , , • I i; american demonstrations paternally 1, / „ , watehed-over by those benevolent men

¡, I, in blue who represent our more ad-vanced civilization which has reached such a high state of democracy as to allow even a few barbarians to carry on

1. their quaint native customs in our midst

And thus the great Chinese dragón which is the greatest dragón in all the world now can only

.1 be seen creeping out of an Adler AUey I, cellar like a worm out of a hole some-

, • ! , time during the second week in Feb-,, ; ; ,,,(, i ) ruary every year when it sorties out of

, ,, hibernation in its Chinese storeroom : pushed from behind by a hand of forty-

73

three Chinese electriciana and techni -cians w h o stuff its i>erÍ8taltic accordion-h o d y u p t h r u a s idewalk d e l i v e r y entrance

A n d first the swaying snout appears and t h e n the eyes at g r o u n d level feelíng along the eurh and t h e n the head i tse l f casting ahout and swaying and heaving finally up to the córner of G r a n t A v e n u e i tse l f where a huge paper sign proc la in is the WorlrTs Largest Chinatown

A n d the great Chinese dragon's j aws w i r e d p e r m a n e n t l y ágape as i f b y a demented dentist to d isplay the C a d m i u m teeth as the h u n g r y head heaves o u t i n t o G r a n t Ave­nue r i g h t u n d e r the s ign and ra is ing i tse l f w i t h a great snort of fire suddenly procla inia the off icial firecracker start o f the Chinese N e w Y e a r

A n d the l i g h t b u l b eyes l i g h t i n g u p and p o p p i n g out on coi led w i r e springs and the b o d y s t re tching and r o c k i n g f u r t h e r and f u r t h e r a r o u n d t h e córner and d o w n G r a n t A v e n u e l i k e a eater|)illar r o l l e r coaster w i t h t h e eyes sprung o u t and w a v i n g i n the a i r l i k e the b l i n d feelcrs o f some mechani -cal p r e y i n g niant is and the eyes b l i n k -i n g on and off w i t h Chinese red p u p i l s a n d t i n y b a m b o o - b l i n d eyelids going up and d o w n

A n d s t i l l the t a i l of the dragón i n the A d l e r A l l e y cel lar u n -c o i l i n g and unwindíng o u t i n t o the street w i t h the f o r t y t h r e e Chinese tech-nic ians s t i l l stuffing the dragón o u t the ho le i n t h e s idewalk and the head o f the dragón n o w three blocks away i n

74

the m i d d l e of the parade of fancy floats pres ided over b y Chinese v i rg ins

A n d here comes the St. M a r y V Chinese G i r l s ' D r u m Corps and here come sixteen w h i t e m e n i n p i t h helmets beat ing b i g bass d r u m s represent ing the O r d e r of the Moose and here comes a gang of h a p p y car salesmen disguised as I s l a m Shriners and here comes a chapter o f the O r d e r of I m p r o v e d Red M e n and here comes a cordón of m o t o r c y c l e eops i n crash helmets w i t h radios going f o l l o w e d b y a smal l papier-máehé l i o n f e d w i t h Neceo wafers and r u n by t w o guys l e f t over f r o m a Ten-Ten fes t ival w h i c h i n t u r n is f o l l o w e d by the great Chinese dragón i tse l f g o o k i n g over balconies as i t comes

A n d the great Chinese dragón has eaten a h u n d r e d humans and t h e i r legs pop o u t o f h is i m d e r s i d e and are his w a l k i n g legs w h i c h are n o t m e n t i o n e d i n the off ic ia l p r i n t e d p r o -g r a m i n w h i c h he is w r i t t e n u p as t h e Great Golden Dragón made i n H o n g K o n g to the specifications o f the C h i ­nese C h a m b e r of Commerce and he represents the forcé and mystery of l i f e and his head swaya i n the sky between the balconies as he comes f o l l o w e d b y six Chinese boy scouts w e a r i n g Keds and c a r r y i n g str ings of batteries t h a t l i g h t u p the dragón l i k e a n i g h t t i m e freeway

A n d he has l a i n a l l w i n t e r among a heap o f collapsed paper lanterns and green r u b b e r l izards and i v o r y backscratchers w i t h t h e i r o n side-

75

m^

, w a l k doors closed over h is head b u t he ' í'- • ' has n o w sprung up w i t h the first sign

of S p r i n g l i k e the forcé o f l i f e i t se l f , ( í and his head sways i n the sky and

gooks i n green w i n d o w s as he comes A n d he is a monster w i t h the head of a dog and the b o d y

o f a serpent r i sen year ly o u t of the sea i • to devour a v i r g i n t h r o w n f r o m a e l i f f

, |~ to appease h i m and he is a y o u n g m a n ;, :i handsonie and d r u n k o g l i n g the gir ls ' ; ,í¡ and he has h i g h ideáis and a h u n d r e d

' V I ' I ! ; ' sport shoes and l ie says N o to M o t h e r : , ) a n d he is a b i g r e d table the w o r l d w i l l

• ' i '„ never t i l t and he has b i g eyes every-' ' . . • ; ' • ' ( w h e r e t h r u w h i c h he sees a l l w o m a n -

: ' ' ' , I , k i n d m i l k w h i t e and dove-breasted and i i ; I ' > ;:, he w i l l eat t h e i r waterf lowers f o r he is

the cat w i t h f u t u r e feet w e a r i n g Keds . ;i( i; ,' L and h e eats cake out of pastry w i n d o w s

, I:, >,.',',',: and is h u n g r i e r and m o r e p o t e n t and ' )C i, m o r e p o w e r f u l and m o r e omniverous

i I ; t h a n the papier-máché l i o n r u n b y t w o ;¡ ' / ;! : guys and he is the great e a r t h w o r m \ ,'' ' , i,: ','1.,) o f l u c k y l i f e filled w i t h flowing Chinese

i ' ' I j semen and he considers bis o w n and i i f . ^ o u r existence i n its most p r o f o u n d

" sense as he comes and he has n o Chris -' j¡ t i a n answer to the exis tent ia l quest ion

; ' > • even as he sees the s p i r i t u a l everywhere ! t ranslucent i n the m a t e r i a l w o r l d and

1 i; " :7 [I-':.. he does n o t w a n t to escape the responsi-'•'•r.¡ ,i. b i l i t y of be ing a dragón or the eonse-

quences of his l o n g h o r n y t a i l s t i l l I .1 .1 ' b u r i e d i n the basement b u t the b l u e

, I citizens o n t h e i r t a l k i n g eycles t h i n k t h a t he wants to escape and at a l l costs

he m u s t n o t be a l lowed to escape be-cause the great Chinese dragón is t h e

• greatest p o t e n t i a l dragón i n a l l the w o r l d and i f a l lowed to escape f r o m

, C h i n a t o w n m i g h t gal lop away u p t h e i r , 1, , , , ' i new freeway at the B r o a d w a y entrance • i : ! ' ' m i s t a k i n g i t f o r a Great W a l l of C h i n a

I or eome o t h e r b a r b a r í a n b a r r i e r and so go eareening a long i t c h e w i n g u p stanchions and signposts and be leh ing f o r t h some strange d i s i n t e g r a t i n g mé­d i u m w h i c h m i g h t m e l t d o w n the great concrete wal ls of A m e r i c a and t h e y are a f r a i d o f h o w far the great Chinese dragón m i g h t r e a l l y go s t a r t i n g f r o m

: San Francisco and so they have secretly and securely t i e d d o w n t h e very end

, of his t a i l i n its ho le

80 t h a t t h i s great p u l s i n g

pha l lus of l i f e at the very end of its parade at the very end of C h i n a t o w n gives one w i l d orgasm of a s l iudder and rol ls over f a i n t i n g i n the b r i g h t

' , n i g h t street since even f o r a dragón every orgasm is a l i t t l e death

A n d t h e n the great Chinese dragón starts s i l ent ly s h r i n k i n g and s h r i v e l i n g u p and d r a w i n g back a n d back and back to its first cave a n d the soft s i lk s k i n w r i n k l e s u p and shr inks and shr inks o n its s p r u n g b a m ­boo bones and the handsome dejected head hangs d o w n l i k e a defeated pr ize -figliter's and so is stuffed d o w n again at last i n t o its prívate place and the cel lar s idewalk doors press d o w n again over

77

the great w i l t e d head w i t h one s m a l l ho le of an eye h l i n k i n g s t i l l t h r u the gratings o f the m e t a l doors as t h e great Cliinese dragón gives one last eon-vuls ive ear thquake shake and r o l l s over dead-dog to w a i t another w h i t e year f o r the final c o m i n g and the final sowing of his oats and tee th

from T h e Secret M e a n i n g o f T h i n g s

1 9 6 8

A S S A S S I N A T I O N R A G A

T X u n e i n to a raga

o n t h e stereo

and t u r n o n D e a t h T V •

w i t h o u t its sound

Outside the p l u m s are g r o w i n g i n a tree

' T h e forcé t h a t t h r o u g h t h e green fuse

drives the f l o w e r '

drives D e a t h T V

' A gr ief ago'

T h e y l o w e r the b o d y soundlessly

i n t o a huge plañe i n Dal las

i n t o a huge plañe i n Los Angeles

m a r k e d ' U n i t e d States of A m e r i c a '

and soundlessly

the ' U n i t e d States of A m e r i c a '

takes off

& wings away w i t h t h a t B o d y

T u n e o u t the T V sound

& l i s ten soundlessly

to the b l i n d m o u t h s of its motors

& a s i tar speaking o n the stereo

a raga i n a rage

at a l l t h a t b lack death

and a l l t h a t b a d k a r m a

La illaha el lili Allah

There is no god b u t G o d

T h e forcé that t h r o u g h the red fuze

drives the b u l l e t

drives the needle i n its d h a r m a groove

and m a n the needle

drives t h a t plañe

of the ' U n i t e d States of A m e r i c a '

t h r o u g h its sky f u l l of shi t & d e a t h

and the sky never ends

as i t wings soundlessly

f r o m those fueked-up cities

whose ñames w e ' d r a t h e r n o t r e m e m b e r

Ins ide the p lañe

ins ide the plañe a w i f e

lies soundlessly

against the cofün

Engine whines as sitar sings outrageously

La illaha el lili Allah

T h e r e is no god b u t God?

T h e r e is no god b u t Death?

T h e p l u m s are f a l H n g t h r o u g h t h e tree

T h e forcé t h a t drives the b u l l e t

t h r o u g h the g u n

82

drives everj 'one

as the ' U n i t e d States of A m é r i c a '

flies o n sightlessly

t h r o u g h the s w i f t fierce years

w i t h t h e dead w e i g h t o f i ts B o d y

w h i c h they keep flying f r o m Dallas

w h i c h they keep f l y i n g f r o m Los A n g e l

A n d the p lañe lands

w i t h o u t f o l d i n g its wings

its shadow i n n i o u r n i n g f o r i tsel f

w i t h d r a w s i n t o i tsel f

i n death's draggy dominión

La illaha el lili Allah ., ¡ i i

T h e r e is no god b u t Death?

T h e forcé that t h r o u g h the green fuze

drove his l i f e

drives everyone i' i

La illaha el lili Allah

A n d they are d r i v i n g the B o d y

they are d r i v i n g the B o d y

up F i f t h A v e n u e

past a m i l l i o n people i n l i n e

' W e are going to be here a l o n g t i m e '

says D e a t h T V ' s sp ie lman f,

T h e cortége passes soundlessly

'Go odbye ! G o o d b y e ! ' some people ery

T h e traffic flows a r o u n d & o n

T h e forcé t h a t drivea the cars

combusts o u r k a r m a

La illaha el lili Allah

There is no god b u t Ueath?

T h e forcé t h a t drives o u r l i f e to death

drives s i tar too

so soundlessly

La illaha el lili Allah

A n d they l i f t t h e B o d y

T h e y l i f t the B o d y

o f the U n i t e d States of A m e r i c a

and earry i t i n t o a ca thedra l

s ing ing H a l l e l u j a h H e Shal l L i v e

F o r ever & ever

A n d t h e n t h e B o d y moves again

d o w n F i f t h A v e n u e

Fi f ty-seven b l a c k sedans af ter i t

T h e r e are people w i t h roses

b e h i n d the barr icades

i n bargain-basement dresses

A n d s i tar sings & sings nonvio lence

sitar sounds i n us its images of ecstasy

its d e p t h of ecstasy

84

against oíd d u n g & death

La illaha el lili Allah

La illaha el lili Allah

T h e forcé t h a t str ikes its strings

strikes us

A n d the f u n e r a l t r a i n

the si lver t r a i n

starts u p soundlessly

at a dead speed

over the h o t l a n d

an a r m e d he l i copter over i t

T h e y are e lear ing t h e tracks ahead of assassins

T h e tracks are l i n e d w i t h haré faces

A h ighschool b a n d i n N e w B r u n s w i c k plays

T h e B a t l l e H y m n of the R e p u b l i c

T h e y have shot i t d o w n again

T h e y have shot h i m d o w n again

& w i l l shoot h i m d o w n again

& take h i m o n a t r a i n

& l o w e r h i m again

i n t o a grave i n W a s h i n g t o n

La illaha el lili Allah

Day & n i g h t j ourneys the coffin

t h r o u g h the d a r k l a n d

too d a r k n o w to see the d a r k faces

La illaha el lili Allah

Plunií; & planes are f a l l i n g t h r o u g h the a i r

La illaha el lili Allah

as sitar sings the only answer . i r , , ; ',; I

sitar sings its o n l y answer

sitar sounds the o n l y sound

that s t i l l can s t i l l a l l v íolence , , ^

La illaha el lili Allah , í ; ,, , ^

T h e í e is no god h u t L i f e ' ,,. ., ,

S i tar says i t S i tar sounds i t ' i , .

S i tar sounds o n us to l()ve love & hate hate , ' •

Si tar hreathes its A t i n a n h r e a t h i n us ', . , ' i ,, . ' ',

sounds & sounds i n us its l o v e l y om om > ; ,, ,

La illaha el lili Allah

A t cverv step t h e puré w i n d rises i ' .

La illaha el lili Allah , , i,:», • , ^ i

People w i t h roses .; . • ,• ',, ' i . '^ /; ¡ , , '|, •

h e h i n d the harr icades ! ' • |./|, 'i'-'.

First read, to a loud evening raga, at "The Incredible Poetry Reading," Noitrse Anditorium, San Francisco, June 8, 1968, the day Robert Kennedy was buried.

"Death TV": the phrase romes from "So Who Owns Death TV" by William Burroughs, Claude Pélieu & Cari Weissner.

86

"The forcé that through the green fuse drives the flower" & **A grief ago": from Dylan Thomas. "La illaha el lili Allah": variation of a Snfi ecstatic chant. A corruption of the Koran. "The sivift fierce years": from a phrase in Eldridge Cleavers "Soul On Ice."

Atman: breath, soul, life principie. Om: originally a syllahle denoting assent—the "ideal, inaudi­ble sound" of the universe. . . .

«7

M O S C O W I N T H E W I L D E R N E S S ,

S E G O V I A I N T H E S N O W

M i d n i g h t Moscow A i r p o r t sucks m e i n f r o m Siber ia

A n d blowR m e o u t alone i n a b l a c k bus

d o w n d a r k s t ra ight n i g h t roads s tark snow pla ins

e terna l taiga i n t o monster Moscow

stands of w h i t e birches ghosted i n the g l o a m i n g

W h e r e of a sudden Segovia bursts t h r u

over the airwaves T he y 've le t h i m i n

to d r i v e the d a r k bus Segovia's hands

grasp the steering whe e l Yokels i n hous ing projeets

d r o p t h e i r balalaikas & b i r c h banjos Segovia comes o n

l i k e the pulse of l i f e i t se l f Segovia comes o n t h r u the snowdr i f t s

and pla ins o f L a M a n c h a fields & fields & fields

o f f rozen musie m e l t e d o n bus radios

Segovia at the i n s t r u m e n t d r i v i n g t h r u the n i g h t l a n d

o f A n t i q u e r a Granada

Sevi l le

88

Tracery of the A l h a m b r a i n a b i l l i o n w l i i t c birches

b o r n i n t h e snow t r i l l s of b l a c k b i r d s i n t h e m

Segovia warms his hands and melts Moscow

moves his h a n d w i t h a c i r c u l a r m o t i o n

over an i v o r y b r i d g e to gut ted Stal ingrads

Segovia knows no answer He's no Goya & he's no Picasso b u t also

he's no Sleeping Gypsy W i t h G u i t a r G u a r d e d b y a L i o n

and w h o knows i f he slept w i t h Franco

H e knows b l a c k condora fly H e knows a free w o r l d w h e n he hears one H i s strums are runs u p o n i t H e does n o t f r e t H e plucks his guts a n d listens to h i m s e l f as he plays and speaks to h i m s e l f and echoes h i m s e l f A n d he keepa d r i v i n g & d r i v i n g

his i n s t r u m e n t d o w n the w i d e d a r k ways

i n t o great Moscow d o w n the b lack boulevards

past K r e m l i n l i t & l o c k e d i n its h a r d d r e a m

i n the great Russian n i g h t I>ast B o l s h o i Ba l l e t & G o r k y I n s t i t u t e

J o h n Reed at the D r a m a T h e a t r e Sta lyagi & h e r o i n at Taganka

Stone Mayakovaky stares t h r u a h h z z a r d of w h i t e notes

i n Russian w i n t e r l i g h t Segovia hears his stoned ery

and he hears the pulse Ín the b l o o d as he listens to l i f e as he ]>lay8

and he keeps c o m i n g & c o m i n g '' t h r u the Russian w i n t e r n i g h t

He's i n Moscow h u t doesn't k n o w i t ,|, , H e p l a y e d somewhere else i •

a n d i t comes o u t here i n a t h a w o n an a i rwave

over Gogol's D a r k People stark figures • '.'i •¡r'X v • V V ' . M '

, i n the w h i t e n i g h t streets ' i c lo t ted i n the snow !

H e listens to t h e m as he goes a long H e listens f o r a free song v i i

such as he h a r d l y hears i , ' , , :', back h o m e :.'i:''r r\-

' . ' Is L e n i n l i s t e n i n g af ter fifty Octobers

Segovia walks t h r u the snow j ; } l i s t e n i n g as he goes ';• '•:

d o w n V o r o v s k y Street to the W r i t e r s ' U n i o n

H e meets the oíd hairs t h a t r u n i t T h e y d i g h i m

& they k n o w w h a t i t means to d i g i n mahogany cities ,

Segovia teaches t h e m o p e n - t u n i n g . i ' w i t h w h i c h they can p lay a n y t h i n g

f ree ly & s i m p l y , i l , ' ;i T h i s is n o t h is Master Class i í

90

H e leaves t h e m h u m m i n g & goes o n ; Segovia plays i n the loóse snow ' i

and digs a b i t alone '. > : u n d e r the free surface r

w i t h his free h a n d ' H e strikes sof t ly as he listens H e hears a d u l l t h u d ' i , •; ' • i , v .

where someth ing is b u r i e d ; ,. ' • í' a f a m i l i a r t h u d y ' ,

such as he sometimes hears \ back h o m e i'"''' '. • í

H e turns away & goes o n d o w n V o r o v s k y Street n '

H i s music has a l o n g i n g sound H e yearns & yet does n o t y e a r n i H e exists & is t r a n q u i l , ! •': , >' ' • ' i

i n spite of a l l V; < • . i H e has no message i .• • .:• ' • ' ¡ ' ' • • ' ' '

H e is his o w n message bis o w n i d e a l sound ; ; ,v^i\.

A n d he sounds so l o n e l y to h i m s e l f ' '••' i, ' i i as he goes on p l a y i n g >i ( , ' ' i

r . i i n the i r o n - w h i t e streets • ! , -A n d he is s a y i n g : I say a l l I k n o w ,i v

& I k n o w no m e a n i n g - <IM > H e is saying

T h i s is the song of evening * ' • w h e n the s p h i n x lies d o w n i T h i s is t h e song of t h e day • • ^ ' , t h a t begins & begins i T h e n i g h t l i f t s "• '

i ts w h i t e n ight -s t iek ' ' T h e ash of l i f e ¡

dries m y song ' ' > *

91

I f y o u o n l y k n e w H e is saying

M y love m y love where are y o u

U n d e r the pomegranate tree H e is saying

W h e r e is j o y where is ecstasy stretched out i n the snow where o n l y the h i r d s are at h o m e

H e is saying There's a huge emptiness here t h a t stares f r o m a l l the faces A l l t h a t is lost m u s t he

l o o k e d f o r once m o r e H e is saying

F a r f r o m me far f r o m m e * y o u are t h e h o u r & the generat ion

t h e y m a r k e d f o r resul t H e is saying

I am y o u r r u i n u n i q u e & i m m o r t a l

I a m y o u r happiness u n k n o w n I am l i g h t

w h e r e y o u are d a r k w h e r e y o u are heavy

H e is saying I a m an oíd m a n and l i f e flowers

i n the w i n d o w s of the sun B u t where is the sun the sun , ;

Soleares . . . O n the steps of a j a i l

t h a t looks l i k e a c h u r c h h e finds a w h i t e b i r d

92

W h a t is i m p o r t a n t i n l i f e ? says the b i r d Segovia says Nada b u t keeps o n p l a y i n g

his Answer A n d he cries o u t n o w

w h e n he sees a strange w o m a n o r sees a strange t h i n g

A n d he hears m a n y strange w o m e n ' & m a n y Strange th ings

. ,^¡ ' a f ter f i f t y Octobers & fifty strange springs

A n d Segovia f o l l o w s thérii"™"™™""""^"*-'---. d o w n t h e i r streets a n d i n t o t h e i r houses and i n t o t h e i r rooms and i n t o the n i g h t of t h e i r beds

A n d waits f o r t h e m to m a k e love A n d waits f o r t h e m to speak A n d waits & waits f o r t h e m to speak

A n d he cries out n o w w h e n he hears t l i e n i speak

at last i n t h e i r last retreat N o he doesn't ery out H e never cries o u t H e is t a c i t u r n & never sings O n l y his i n s t r u m e n t speaks & sings B u t w h e n i t does sing w h e n i t does ery o u t at w h a t i t hears

an ancient a r m a d i l l o asleep f o r centuries

i n the cel lar o f the K r e m l i n raises i ts h o r n y head i

opens its square t h i r d eye J and looks a r o u n d h l i n k i n g /

and tlien at last ' i ;: fif' unglues it.s grcat gut mouth "

and utters ecstatic static i Í <

Moscow-San Francisco, March, 1967

Dedicated to Andrei Voznesi*nsky & Yevgeni Yevtushenko

94

T R U E C O N F E S S I O N A L

T # J . was conceived i n the summer of N i n e t e e n E i g h t e e n ( o r was i t T h i r t y E i g h t ) w h e n some k i n d of war was going o n b u t i t d i d n ' t stop t w o people f r o m m a k i n g love i n Osaining t h a t year I l i k e to t h i n k on a r i v e r b a n k i n sun o n a p i c n i c b y the H u d s o n as i n a p a i n t i n g of the H u d s o n R i v e r School or u p at Bear M o u n t a i n maybe af ter t a k i n g the oíd H u d s o n R i v e r L i n e p a d d l e w h e e l excursión steamer ( I may have added the paddlewhee l— the H u d s o n m y Miss iss ippi) ' i A n d on the way back she already c u r r i e d m e ins ide of her I lawrence f e r l i n g h e t t i w r o u g h t f r o m the d a r k i n m y m o t h e r l o n g ago b o r n i n a smal l back b e d r o o m — I n the next r o o m m y b r o t h e r h e a r d the f i rs t ery, m a n y years la ter w r o t e me— Í .V^ • " P o o r M o m - N o husband—No money—Pop dead— H o w she went t h r o u g h i t a l l — " Someone stpieezed m y hear t to m a k e i t go I c r i e d and sprang up Open eye open heart w h e r e do I wander I c r ied and ran off i n t o the hear t of the w o r l d C a r r i e d away

by another I k n e w n o t A n d w h i c h of me sha l l k n o w m y b r o t h e r ? ' I a m m y son, m y m o l h e r , m y fa ther , I a m b o r n of myself m y o w n flesh sucked' A n d someone squeezed m y hear t to make me go A n d I began to go ' • ;< t h r o u g h m y n u m b e r i i I was a w i n d - u p toy someone h a d d r o p p e d wound -up i n t o a w o r l d already V > > r u n n i n g d o w n ' ' ' '*! T h e w o r l d h a d been going o n :''•''''',) ' a l o n g t i m e already : í ' b u t i t made no difference ; I t was new i t was l i k e new ' i made i t new ' íiíio'oíf..' i saw i t shiníng • i a n d i t shone i n the sun ii •'Oí.-í' a n d i t spun i n the sun ' > ' ' ' • '\ and the skein i t spun . ' ^ «' ' w a s p u r e h g h t ''.•'f.vi' M y l i f e was made of i t made of the skeins of l i g h t "i i ' ' T h e cobwebs of N i g h t "i V ' were n o t on i t ' •; ,' were not of i t .;, Í •< I t was too b r i g h t i to see too l u n i i n o u s i ; ' , ' to cast a shadow , a n d there was another w o r l d , v'--b e h i n d the b r i g h t screens • ' ' I h a d only to cióse m y eyes .

f o r another w o r l d to appear too near and too dear to be a n y t h i n g b u t mysel f m y inside self where e v e r y t h i n g real ' ' was to h a p p e n i n th i s place w h i c h s t i l l exists inside mysel f and hasn't changed t h a t m u c h cer ta in ly not as m u c h as t h e outside w i t h its bag of s k i n and its ' a l u m i n u m h e a r d ' and its b lue b lue eyes w h i c h see as one eye i n the m i d d l e of the head where e v e r y t h i n g happens except w h a t happens i n the heart v a j r u lotus d i a m o n d hear t w h e r e i n I read ' ' the poem t h a t never ends

I N A T I M E O F R E V O L U T I O N

F O R I N S T A N C E

I h a d jus t o r d e r e d a fishplate at the counter w h e n three very h e a u t i f u l f u c k e d - u p people entered < . 1 don ' t k n o w how or w h y I , t h o u g h t they must be fucked-up except t h e y were very b e a u t i f u l t w o m e n and one very b e a u t i f u l go ldenha i red young w o m a n very w e l l g roomed and w e a r i n g sports clothes l i k e as i f they must have • • • jus t gotten out of an , ' o ld- fashioned Stutz roadster w i t h t o p " ' ' „ . d o w n a n d tennis rackets a n d the w o m a n strode to t h e back of the restaurant f o u n d a vacant table a n d strode back and got the other t w o b e c k o n i n g w i t h elegant gestures a n d s m i l i n g s l i g h t i y at t h e m a n d the three of t h e m w a l k e d back slowly to the table as i f they were n o t a f r a i d of a n y t h i n g or anyone i n t h a t place and took possession of i t w i t h

100

_ A N Q L O A M f i l U C A N O lovely expressions and the very lovely y o u n g lady settled herself so easily on the settee beside the younger of the t w o m e n b o t h of w h o m h a d l i g h t b r o w n wavy h a i r not too l o n g a n d cut l i k e H o l l y w o o d tennis stars or anyway l i k e visitors f r o m some other t o w n m o r e elegant t h a n o u r o w n and they were obviously so m u c h bet ter l o o k i n g and so m u c h better b r o u g h t up t h a n anyone else i n the place they looked l i k e thev m i g h t be re la ted to the Kennedys and they obviously h a d no I n d i a n or E y e t a l i a n b l o o d i n t h e m and she obviously w i t h • so m a n y avenues open to her w i t h her t w o m e n • one of w h o m c o u l d have been her b r o t h e r I c o u l d not imagine h e r carrying a carbina and she k e p t tossing her h a i r ever so gent ly o u t of her eyes and s m i l i n g at b o t h of t h e m and at n o t h i n g i n p a r t i c u l a r that I c o u l d i m a g i n e and her l ips were m o v i n g gently w i t h her gentle smile and I kept t r y i n g to imagine w h a t she c o u l d possibly be saying w i t h

101

those perfect Hps over those perfect teeth so w h i t e w i t h her eyes n o w a n d t h e n sHding over and d o w n the counter where a lot of Htt le people sat q u i e t l y eat ing t h e i r q u i t e o r d i n a r y lunches w h i l e the three b e a u t i f u l people w h o c o u l d have been anywhere i seemed just about to order ' > : something special and eat i t w i t h ice cream and cigarettes a n d my ñsh fínally a r r i v e d l o o k i n g not q u i t e unf rozen and q u i t e plástic b u t I decided to eat i t anyway she was a b e a u t i f u l creature and I fe l t l i k e Char l i e C h a p l i n eat ing his shoe w h e n her eyes s l i d over me the M o d e r n Jass Q u a r t e t came over the M u z a k speakers a n d u n d e r o ther circumstanees in a time of rt'volution for instance w e m i g h t have m a d e i t

S T O N E R E A L I T Y M E D I T A T I O N

I { i i n u i n k i n < t can indeed hear very m u c h r e a l i t y T h a t 'husy l i t t l e monster

m a n i m k i n d ' can bear i t too So may w o m a n k i n d So can every k i n d of clay and creature Trees too can bear i t a f ter the leaves have flown away af ter the h i r d s have h l o w n away *bare r u i n e d choirs ' bear i t as stones do T h e y too bear the 'heavy w e i g h t of c rea t ion ' as we do cast i n clay a n d stoned i n e a r t h Masters of ecstasy ,

103

S U N R I S E , B O L I N A S

X h i s l i t t l e heart t h a t rememhers every l i t t l e t h i n g

begins the day most o f the t i m e

b y a n a t t e m p t at s inging some sunny r h y m e

Such e f f rontery , such audac i ty i n the face of e v e r y t h i n g !

S t i l l FU sing at the sun f o r a b e g i n n i n g —

Such p r e s u m p t i o n , such pervers i ty to mis take b ird-cr ies f o r song

w h e n they may rea l ly be cries of despair !

As i f our l i f e as i f a l l l i f e

were not a t ragedy t h o u g h a l l is passing f a i r

As i f our l i f e were not so very various

as to t u r n i t a l l to l i t a n y —

O d r u n k flute O Golden M o u t h

sing a m a d song to save U S

104

A P H O E N I X A T F I F T Y

. A - t new age fifty ,*,turn i n w a r d o n oíd self

a n d rock o n m y back i n a t o r n green h a m m o c k deep i n a r u i n e d garden where first the sweet b i r d s sang b e h i n d a w h i t e w o o d cottage at M o n t e c i t o Santa Barbara sunk i n sea-vine succulents i m d e r huge oíd eucalyptrees w i n d blows w h i t e s u n l i g h t t h r u A m u t e r u i n e d statue of a n y m p h danc ing t u r n s i n sun

as i f l o sing ' W h e n day is done' I t is not A he l i copter flies out of an angle of the sun its w i n d m i l l choppers w a v i n g t h r u the w a v i n g treetops t h r u w h i c h the h o t w i n d blows & blows puré desire made of l i g h t I float on m y back i n the sea of i t a n d gaze s tra ight u p i n t o eye-white sky as i n t o eyes of one heloved w h i s p e r i n g

'Le t

me i n '

T o o b r i g h t too b r i g h t !

I cióse m y eyes lest sun t h r u such lenses set me afire

l«f«w ;<a»IHj|LjLI.] ,1,1.

b u t i h e b l o w n l i g h t batters t h r u l ids an i l lashes I b u r n and leave no ashe»

Yet w i l l arise

106

T H E M A N W H O R O D E A W A Y

(To D. H. Lawrence)

• - A . h o v e Tao8 now I peer t h r o u g h the cracl

of y o u r l o c k e d door Dead Lawrence

and there indeed I see they 've got y o u n o w at last

safely stashed away locked away f r o m the l i g h t

of y o u r dear sun i n the w e i r d great d a r k

of y o u r l i t t l e shut tered shr ine

w i t h the d a r k b r o w n cover of your oíd p o r t a b l e

c lenched l i k e a j a w u p o n d u m b keys

tee th sans tongue as i n a m u t e mask

of a Greek megaphone

A l l here's real p r o o f the soul has its rages—

d a m p e r e d ! i n darkness!

shrine locked— b o o b y - t r a p p e d f o r burglars—

p l u m e d serpent stoned i n t o a gargoyle !

Lawrence Lawrence bearded D a v i d Phoenix flamed

o u t of a mine-head ash to ash

Sown i n Vence a n d resown i n A m e r i c a

( d e l N o r t e ) W h e r e n o w

here n o w y o u r por tab le seed

has b l o w n away O t h e r seeds

are g r o w i n g N o t yours

Lawrence i n the w h i t e sands

p r o v i n g g r o u n d s !

Lawrence now I see y o n come alone f r o m y o u r c r i b b e d cab in • • a l l fenced i n the b a c k y a r d c o m p o u n d of that b i g caretaker's house

Y o u stand s t i l l a m o m e n t i n the s t i l l a i r .

Y o u r eyes have a Mexican look t u r n e d South over the arroyos ahora y siempre

l i n t e r is c o m i n g

Y o u have y o u r t i c k e t

108

Y o u have y o n r b lue d e n i m jaeket

Y o u have y o u r crazy Stetson

Y o u r t i n p h o e n i x tacked to a tree drops i n a g i f t shop w i n d o w

A m i s t r a l w i n d ratt les the pine needles of y o u r bones

A N E L E G Y O N T H E D E A T H

O F K E N N E T H P A T C H E N

A poet ift b o r n , .;; • • • A poet dies

A n d a l l t b a t lies between i , ,, ; ; • isUS •'íiyiiít;

and the w o r l d A n d the w o r l d lies about i t

m a k i n g us i f i t h u d got h is message even t h o u g h i t is poetry '

b u t most of the w o r l d w i s h i n g i t c o u l d jus t forget about h i m

and his a w f i d strange prophecies

A l o n g w i t h a l l the o ther strange th ings he said about the w o r l d

w h i c h were a l l too t rue a n d w h i c h made t h e m fear h i m ,<

m o r e t h a n they loved h i m t h o u g h he spoke m u c h of love

A l o n g w i t h a l l the alarms he sounded w h i c h t u r n e d out to be false

i f on ly for the m o m e n t a l l of w h i c h made t h e m fear h is tongue

m o r e t h a n they loved h i m T h o u g h he spoke m u c h of love

and never l i v e d by 'silence exi le & e u n n i n g ' a n d was a l o u d conscientious objeetor to

the deaths we d u i l y give each other t h o u g h we speak m u c h of love !

110

A n d w h e n such a one dies even the agents of D e a t h should take note

a n d shake the shi t f r o m t h e i r wings i n A i r Forcé One

B u t they do not i A n d the shi t s t i l l flies

A n d the poet now is disconnected and w o n ' t c a l i back

t h o u g h he spoke m u c h of love , .

, '• i • ' '

A n d s t i l l we hear h i m say > ; ! ' ! • ' • ' 'Do í not deal w i t h angeis

w h e n her l ips I t o u c h ' , •. A n d s t i l l we hear h i m say

'O m y d a r l i n g troubles heaven w i t h her loveliness'

A n d s t i l l we love to hear h i m say ' ' 'As we are so w o n d e r f u l l y done w i t h each other We can w a l k i n t o our sepárate sleep O n íloors of music where the m i l k w h i t e eloak

of c h i l d h o o d lies ' ' A n d s t i l l we hear h i m saying

'There fore the constant powers do not lessen. Ñor is the p r o p e r t y of the s p i r i t scattered on the c o l d h i l l s of these events'

A n d s t i l l we hear h i m asking 'Do the dead k n o w w h a t t i m e i t is? '

H e is gone under H e is scattered

undersea and knows w h a t t i m e

b u t w o n ' t be back to t e l l i t H e w o u h l he loo [ )roud to cul i back anyway

A n d too f u l l of strange laughter to speak to us anymore anyway

A n d the w e i g h t of h u m a n experience lies u p o n the w o r l d

l i k e the chains of the sea i n w h i c h he singa

A n d he awings i n the tides of the sea A n d his ashes are washed

i n the ides of the sea A n d *an astonished eye looks ont of the a i r '

l o see the poet s inging there

A n d dusk fal ls d o w n a coast somewhere

where a w h i t e horse w i t h o u t a r i d e r t u r n s i ts head

to the sea

First read at the City Lights Poets Theatre Kenneth Patchen Memorial Reading, February 3, 1972, San Francisco

112

y""" [f' "i"f-'

A N I M A G I N A R Y H A P P E N I N G , L O N D O N

In the l o w e r l e f t - h a n d córner of an á lbum landscape I a m w a l k i n g t h r u a d a r k p a r k w i t h a n o t e d n y m p h o m a n i a c t r y i n g to discover f o r w h a t she is n o t e d

We are t a l k i n g as we w a l k of var ious v i l l a i n i e s of c h u r c h & state and of the tyrannies of love & hate

T h e m o o n makes hairless nudes

A n alabaster g i r l u p o n her back becomes a body made of soap beneath a wet gypsy

Suddenly we rush t h r u a bent gate i n t o the h o t grass

One m o r e tree fal ls i n the forest

T H O U G H T S T O A C O N C E R T O

O F T E L E M A N N

A he cur ious u p w a r d s t u m b l i n g m o t i o n of the oboe d 'amore ' " ; must be love i tsel f among the strands of e m o t i o n . I t is as i f i ts m o t i o n were n o t its o w n at a l l , ' ' r as i f these hands h a d never s t ruck those strings we sing to , : ' ' swing l o (as puppets do, u n b r o k e n ) . as i f we never rea l ly meant to be so s trung to those sweet pi lches ^' love so frets US to ' • -so t a u t l y . , I .' •' ' . • so n i u t e l y (love's bodies l a i d l i k e h a r p s ! ) ' a n d then as i f there never were s t i l l m o r e : ' , , i ' unspoken, as i f d u m b m i n d d i d never grieve among the w o o d w i n d s , as i f its chords d i d never q u i v e r anymore ' i ' as i n a b u r i e d mandolín, as i f that love were h a r d l y i n ít • . ' a n y m o r e , ñor sounded i n i t

114

a n y m o r e , ñor heart hear i t ñor l i f e bear i t anymore . Y e t i t does, i t does!

116

T O C T O C : A C O U P L E O B S E R V E D

(After Apollinaire)

T V i t h o u t closing its wings the plañe lands

its shadow i n m o u r n i n g for i t se l f

come d o w n to i tsel f on e a r t h Toe toe the cloek i n the tower cont inúes

to cast its shadow onto the a i r f i e l d

Toe toe another s troke of the feather strikes another l i n e

i n m y face M y shadow i n m o u r n i n g

f o r m y self t i e d to m y feet

fa l ls out of the plañe head ñrst

ahead of m y fate Toe toe the shadows i n the gardens of Pé r e Lachaise

d r a w over ApoUina i re ' s t o m he a u Toe toe the flowers of the garden are faded

loóse leaves & aeroplanes b l o w away Toe toe another stroke of the feather

another l i n e i n a face a w o m a n w i t h d r a w s a m a n goes off

w i t h his shadow w i t h d r a w n i n t o h im se l f

Toe toe they b o t h t u r n

too l a t e ! too l a t e !

116

P O U N D A T S P O L E T O

I w a l k e d i n t o a loge i n the Teat ro Melisso, the lovely Renais­sanee salle where the poetry readings a n d the chamber concerts were h e l d every day of the Spoleto Fest ival , a n d suddenly saw Ezra P o u n d for the first t i m e , s t i l l as a m a n d a r i n statue i n a box i n a balcony at the back of the theatre , one t i e r up f r o m the stalls. I t was a shock, seeing o n l y a s t r i k i n g oíd m a n i n a cur ious pose, t h i n and l o n g h a i r c d , a q u i l i n e at 80, head t i l t e d strangely to one side, lost i n permanent abstract ion. . . . A f t e r three younger poets on stage, he was seheduled to read f r o m his box, and there he sat w i t h an oíd f r i e n d ( w h o h e l d his papers) w a i t i n g . H e regarded the knuckles of his hands, m o v i n g t h e m a very l i t t l e , expressionless. O n l y once, w h e n everyone else i n the f i i l l theatre appla tu led someone on stage, d i d he rouse h i m ­self to c lap, w i t h o u t l o o k i n g u p , as i f s t i m u l a t e d by sound i n a v o i d . . . . A f t e r almost an h o u r , his t u r n came. O r af ter a l i f e . . . . Everyone i n the h a l l rose, t u r n e d and l o o k e d back a n d u p at P o i m d i n his b o o t h , u p p l a u d i n g . T h e applause was p r o l o n g e d and P o u n d t r i e d to rise f r o m his a r m c h a i r . A m i c r o p h o n e was p a r t l y i n the way. H e grasped the arms of the cha i r w i t h h is boney hands and t r i e d to rise. H e c o u l d n o t and he t r i e d again a n d c o u l d not . H i s o l i l f r i e n d d i d not t r y to h e l p h i m . F i n a l l y she p u t a poem i n his h a n d , and af ter at least a m i n u t e his voice carne out . F i rs t the j a w moved a n d t h e n the voice came out , i n a u d i b l e . A y o i m g I t u l i a n p u l l e d the m i k e up very cióse to his face and h e l d i t ihere and the voice came over, f r a i l b u t s t u b b o r n , h i g h e r t h a n 1 h a d expected, a t h i n , soft m o n o t o n e . T h e h a l l had gone silent at a stroke. T h e voice k n o c k e d me d o w n , so soft, so t h i n , so f r a i l , so s t u b b o r n s t i l l . I p u t m y head on m v arms on the velvet s i l l of the box. I was surprised to see a single tear d r o p on m y knee. T h e t h i n , i n d o m i t a b l e voice went o n . I went b l i n d f r o m the box, t h r o u g h the back door of i t , i n t o the e m p t v c o r r i d o r of the theatre where they s t i l l sat

117

!• •••• '

t u r n e d to h i m , went d o w n and out , i n t o the sunhght , weep­i n g

U p ahove the t o w n i • by the ancient aqueduct i ' ' : i ''••••>

the chestnut trees ' i were s t i l l i n b l o o m '! :> : ' ,

M u t e b i r d s r' ^ ••• • '•• flew i n the val ley

far be low I ' ; T h e sun shone

I I : ' o n the chestnut trees . í I and the leaves ' ' ;

" I ' l l t u r n e d i n the sun • ' ^ ' and t u r n e d and t u r n e d and t u r n e d . '!

A n d w o i d d continué t u r n i n g ' H i s voice

; i ' went o n • ' , i ' . • I , and on

• ,1 .ii',.)/, 1 •• ; . ' • . s ' . j , - ; t h r o u g h the leaves. ';

118

O N T H E T R A N S S I B E R I A N

K ( . n o c k . k n o c k o n wooden Russia! I am a w h i t e b i r d d r i l l i n g boles i n the w h i t e w o o d of y o u r snow. •,. T o the w h i t e birches .

' t h a t s tretch across Siberia . • ' 7 . , , f r o m V l a d i v o s t o k to B l o k ' : I give one more kn o c k . W h o w i l l answer th i s t i m e ? A r e y o u s t i l l there , poet . A r e y o u s t i l l there , b r o t h e r , anarchist , A r e y o u s t i l l there , u n d e r the p l o w ? These are n o t Chekhov's cher ished c h e r r y t h a t fe l l d o w n l o n g ago. T h i s is the e terna l íaiga now t h a t s t i l l stands u p against a l l w i n d s d a r k sears u p o n the b a r k .

K n o c k ! K n o c k !

Let the r a i l s p l i t t e r t r i i l y awake.

R E C I P E F O R H A P P I N E S S I N

K H A B A R O V S Y O R A N Y P L A C E

O n e g r a n d b o u l e v a r d w i t h trees w i t h one grand eafé i n sun w i t h s t rong b l a c k coffee i n very s m a l l cups

One n o t necessarily very b e a u t i f u l m a n or w o m a n w h o loves y o u

One fine day

120

S A L U T E

X o every a n i m a l w h o eats or shoots his owQ_.kÍud-_._ A n d every h u n t e r w i t l i ríHes m o u n t e d i n p i c k u p t rucks A n d every prívate m a r k s m a n or m i n u t e m a n ^

w i t h telescopic sight A n d every redneck ín boots w i t h dogs

& sawed-off shotguns A n d every Peace Officer w i t h dogs

t r a i n e d to t rack & J k i l l , ^ A n d every p la inc lo thesnian or in idercover agent

w i t h shoulderhols ter f u l l of death ^^'C A n d every servant of the people g u n n i n g d o w n people

or shootíng-to-kíll fleeing^felons A n d every G u a r d i a C i v i l i n any c < u n i t ^ y ( ^ l a r d i n ^ c ^ ^

w i t h handcuflt^o^earbines '' A n d every b o r d e r g u a r d at no mat ter w h a t Check P o i n t Char ley

o n no mat ter w h i c h side of w h i c h B e r l í n W a l l Bamboo or T o r t i l l a c u r t a i n ; ,/

A n d every íe l i te )s ta te t rooper h i g h w a y p a t r o l m a n i n custom* t & i l o r e d riflingpants'/S plástic crash h e l m e t

^ s h o e s t r i n g necktie[^ sixshooter i n silver-studded holster ^ A . t\

A n d every p r o w i c a r w i t h rÍ0tguns4^rens a n d every r i o t - t a n J f r - C ^

w i t h niaceí& leargas A n d every crackpÜot wíth rocketsf&jnapalm u n d e r w i n g A n d every s k y p i l o t blesh^ngjyuubers át l akeof f —^——

f'V^Tid~aKy~HíateDepartment of any snperstate sel l ing guns T í T b o t h sides

A n d every Nat iona l i s t of no mat ter w h a t N a t i o n i n n o m a t t e r w h a t w o r h l Black B r o w n or W h i l e

w h o kíl ls f o r h is N a t i o n

121

A n d every p r o p h e t or poet w i t h gun or shiv and any enforcer of s p i r i t u a l e n l i g h t e n m e n t ^ w i t h foree a n d any e n f o r c e F í í r t K e p o w e r of any state w i t h Power

_ A n d to any a n d a l l w h o k i l l & k i l l & k i l l & k i l l fo r Peaee I raise m y m i d d l e finger^ i n the on l y p r o p e r salute

Santa Rita Prison, 1968

T H I R D W O R L D C A L L I N G !• i :

T ••••••'! X h i s l o u d m o r n i n g i .

I,"'!.':' ', |> ,1 sensed a smal l ery i n :•:{ . ' . . i ' . ! ; „ , . the news ' • i • '

,,. paper |, caught somewhere on '

.•,'•)' ..' an inner page : ^ - v . . . ' ;v • . . ' i • • • • 1 •

I > decide to t r a v e l f o r l u n c h & '! i I , : ' - end u p i n an a u t o m a l

\ W h i t e House Cafetería I l o o k i n g t h r u a l i t t l e w i n d o w

: I I p u t a n i c k l e i n the slot I • (t • i " ; , ' ' and out comes •••¡.'.,'.V;' • \; 't •

! • '' • /- f r i e d rice T a k i n g a t o u r

i of the rest of t h a t h i i i l d i n g .'V'V'J, 1 hear a smal l ery • '

^ , b e y o n d the r ice paddies . •• 1.'.' ' between floors whére

' ' ' ' •' the escalator sticks I i; and remember last n ight ' s d rea m of

' • a t t e n d i n g m y o w n f u n e r a l at a d r i v e - i n m o r t u a r y '

):',.'.'. n o t rea l ly be l i ev in g • I wus that dead

Someone t h r o w i n g rice A l l the w i n d o w s d r y

T i p p e d the coffin open & laughed i n t o i t

- and out falls oíd fun n yfa ce

mvseif

the b a r g a i n t ragedian w i t h a smal l ery

f o l l o w e d by sound of Che Guevara s inging i n the voice of F i d e l

Far over the P e r f u m e R i v e r the clouds pass

c a r r y i n g smal l eries T h e monsoon has set i n

the w i n d o w s weep

I I- ' ' back u p to

the Pentagon i ' on a flathed t r u c k * - .

and u n l o a d the smal l b r o w n bodies f resh f r o m the blasted fields!

B A S E B A L L C A N T O

W a t c l l i n g baseball s i t t i n g i n the sun eat ing p o p c o r n reading Ezra P o u n d

a n d w i s h i n g Juan M a r i c h a l w o u l d h i t a hole r i g h t t h r o u g h the Anglo-Saxon t r a d i t i o n i n the F i rs t Canto and d e m o l i s h the h a r b a r i a n invaders '

W h e n the San Francisco Giants take the field and everybody stands up to the N a t i o n a l A n t h e m w i t h some I r i s h tenor's voice p i p e d over the loudspeakers w i t h a l l the players s t ruck dead i n t h e i r places and the w h i t e umpires l i k e I r i s h eops i n t h e i r b lack suits a n d l i t t l e blaek caps pressed over t h e i r hearts * > ^ ' s tanding s t ra ight and s t i l l l i k e at some f u n e r a l of a b larney bar tender and a l l fac ing East as i f expect ing some Great W h i t e H o p e or the F o u n d i n g Fathers to appear on the h o r i z o n l i k e 1066 or 1776 or a l l t h a t

B u t W i l l i e Mays appears instead i n the b o t t o m of the first and a roar goes u p

as he clouts the first one i n t o the sun and takes off

l i k e a f o o t r u n n e r f r o m Thebes 125

T h e b a l l is lost i n the sun a n d niaidens w a i l u f l e r h i m

h n t he keeps r i m n i n g t h r o u g h the Anglo-Saxon epie

A n d T i t o Fuentes eomes up l o o k i n g l i k e a b u l l f i g h t e r i n his t i g h t pants and smal l p o i n t e d shoes

A n d the r i g h t f i e l d bleachers go mad w i t h chicanos & hlacks & B r o o k l y n heerdr inkers

"Sweet T i t o ! Sock i t to heem, Sweet T i t o ! " A n d Sweet T i t o pnts his foot i n the bncket

a n d smacks one that don ' t come hack at a l l and flees a r o u n d the bases

l i k e he's escaping f r o m the U n i t e d F r u i t Company as the gr ingo d o l l a r beats out the P o i m d .

a n d Sweet T i t o heats i t o u t l i k e he's bea t ing out usury n o t to m e n t i o n fascism a n d ant i - semit i sm

A n d Juan M a r i c h a l comes up ' i and the chicano bleachers go loco again ' , "

as Juan helts the fírst fast b a l l o u t of sight . r

and rounds first and keeps going and rounds second and rounds t h i r d f;:

a n d keeps go ing ' and h i t s p a y - d i r t i , ;

to the roars of the gr in igv populace As some n u t presses the hackstage panic b u t t o n • ' ' i ' fo r the lape-recorded N a t i o n a l A n t h e m again to save the s i tuat ion

126

b u t i t d o n ' t stop n o b o d y this t i m e i n t h e i r r e v o l u t i o n r o u n d the loaded w h i t e b i n th i s last of the great Anglo-Saxon epics i n the Territorio Libre of baseball

L A U G H I N G & C R Y I N G

I l a u g h to hear m e say w h a t I a m saying

W a l k i n g i n m y cave of flesh

T h e r e must be a place

T h e r e m u s t be a place

W h e r e a l l is l i g h t

I l a u g h to hear me say w h a t I a m saying

O Rama

A u d i a r t O A u d i a r t

danc ing Shiva dear one

Y o u r face flies t h r o u g h the sky

1 laugh to say what I a m saying

Each of us a l a m p

a s p i r i t - l a m p

a l u n t e r n b u r n i n g

a l a m p a place b e y o n d a t u r n i n g

where a l l is l i g h t

128

1 ^ m ,.

I l a u g h a n d ery

w i t h mask of tears

and l a u g h i n g face

I l augh and ery to hear me say w h a t I a m saying

M y l a u g h i n g face

and mask of tears

makes me laugh and ery to hear me sing w h a t I a m saying

F o r there nu is l be a place

must be a place

where a l l is l i g h t

129

N I G H T L I G H T

ght , n i g h t Death's t r u e self, Death's second self

B l a c k is n i y t r u e love's h a i r Y e t a l l , a l l is despair

B l a c k n i g h t , b lack l i g h t Death's t r u e self

B l a c k , b laek , b l a c k is n i y t r u e love's h a i r A n d a l l , a l l is despair

• i', • • • •,

N i g h t , n i g h t Death's second self

where a l l is e m p t y , a l l is despair I, A l l gone, a l l d o w n

A l l , a l l despair A n d grey is m y t r u e love's h a i r

Y e t sun bursts f o r t h u p o n the l a n d A n d a b u t t e r f l y l ights i n i t

u p o n m y h a n d A n d l i g h t s these songs a n d l i g h t s these songs

i n a i r

130

from W h o A r e W e N o w

1 9 7 6

D I R E C T O R O F A L I E N A T I O N

i j o o k i n g i n the m i r r o r s at Macy's and t h i n k i n g i t ' s a subterranean p l o t to m a k e me feel l i k e C h a p l i n snuek i n w i t h his bent shoes & beat b o w l e r

Who's this b u r n crept i n off the streets í h l i n k i n g i n the neón a n anarchist a m o n g the floorwaikers a s t r ike-breaker even r i g h t past the picketa > and the p i c k e t l i n e is the People yet? I t h i n k n i b o o k a new d e r b y w i t h m y cañe and p u t a s ign o n i t r e a d i n g D i r e c t o r of A J i e n a t i o n o r T h e Real R e v o l u t i o n So it 's M i s t e r A l i e u a t i o n is i t l i k e he d o n ' t l i k e n o b o d y ? I t ' s n o t me I t ' s T h e m o u t of step I came i n l o o k i n g f o r an ángel male or female d a r k or f a i r b u t w h y does everyone l o o k so serious or u n h a p p y l i k e as i f everyone's a l ienated f r o m s o m e t h i n g or someone f r o m the w h o l e e a r t h even and the green l a n d among i h e l o u d i n d i g n a n t b i r d s M y l a n d is y o u r l a n d b u t ' a l l is changed, changed u t t e r l y '

l o o k i n g f o r a f a i r - h a i r e d ángel

L o o k at th i s a l i e n face i n this elevator m i r r o r T h e Tele-teetor scans m e H e looks p a r a n o i d Bet ter get h i m o u t hefore he starts t r y i n g o n the u n d e r w e a r K e e p y o u r filthy m i t t s offa I bet ter s t i ck to the escalators T o o m a n y n y l o n ladies i n the l i f t s too m a n y two-way m i r r o r s I came i n l o o k i n g f o r an ángel among the a l i e n c o r n I m i g h t get caught f i n g e r i n g t h e l i n g e r i e f e e l i n g u p the m a n i k i n s House dicks af ter me Where 's y o u r c r e d i t cards " T l i e y ' l l find the hole i n m y sock i n the Shoe D e p a r t m e n t T h e f u U - l e n g t h m i r r o r s a l l designed to make y o u l o o k y o u r worst so y o u ' l l get rea l depressed and t h r o w off y o u r oíd clothes and b u y new duds o n the spot W e l l I ' l l take t h e m at t h e i r w o r d T h e y asked f o r i t Of f w i l h these g r i m g y threads and sl ide d o w n the escalators bare-asa S l i p between the on-sale sheets i n t o the on-sale b e d fee l ing f o r an ángel i n i t T r y this new flush t o i l e t and the p o r t a b l e shower e m e r g i n g f r o m the b a t h i n someth ing sexy i n t o a store w i n d o w among the Coquette Wigs by Eva Gabor

a n d freeze i n one of the wigs w h e n the Keystone Cops come r u n n i n g I came i n l o o k i n g f o r an ángel >•.• passion eyes and l o n g i n g h a i r i n m i r r o r s made of water B u t what 's this w r a c k of c i v i l i z a t i o n I V e f a l l e n i n t o T h i s must be t i i e end of s o m e t h i n g the last days of somebody's e m p i r e Seven floors of i t f r o m Women's W e a r to Men's F u r n i s h i n g s Lost souls descending t h r u Dante's seven eircles Ladies l i k e bees avarieious clustered at counters I d o n ' t w a n t to j o i n t h e m e i ther A l w a y s the Outs ider W h a t a d r a g W h y d o n ' t y o u get w i t h i t I t ' s y o u r e o u n t r y W h a t a c l i ché th i s Outs ider a rea l b o r e B u t is there anyone l e f t inside i n this year of the b o r i n g B i c e n t e n n i a l I n d i a n s al ienated Ar t i s t s a l ienated A l l these poets a l ienated Parents husbands wives a l ienated K i d s al ienated Even b i l l i o n a i r e s a l ienated h i d i n g out i n f o r e i g n countries D o n ' t let t h e m t e l l y o u d i f f e r e n t w i t h t h e i r flags and t h e i r grants So B u y B u y B u y and get Ins ide Get a loada th i s j u n k

Y o u wanna b e l o n g Y o u gotta have i t ' P u l í yourself together ', and descend to Macy's basement A n d eat y o u r way u p ' t l i r u the seven stages ' of th i s classless society w i t h the C r e d i t D e p a r t m e n t on the t o p floor where surely some r e v e l a t i o n is at h a n d Consume y o u r way u p u n t i l you ' re consumed b y i t at the very t o p ' ' w h e r e surely a t e r r i b l e beauty is b o r n T h e n j u m p off the r o o f o d a r k of h a i r > ' i ' ' - ; o R u t h among the a l ien c o r n í w a v i n g plást ic jewels and genitals

W I L D D R E A M S O F A N E W B E G I N N I N G

T X here's a breathless hush on the f reeway t o n i g h t

, B e y o n d the ledges of concrete restaurant» f a l l i n t o dreams i w i t h c a n d l e l i g h t couples ' Lost A l e x a n d r i a s t i l l burns i n a b i l l i o n l i g h t b u l b s Lives cross lives i d l i n g at s topl ights B e y o n d the eloverleaf turnoffs 'Souls eat souls i n the general emptiness ' A |>iano concertó comes out a k i t c h e n w i n d o w A y o g i speaks at O j a l Tt 's a l l t a k i n g place i n one m i n d ' i O n the l a w n among the trees lovers are l i s t e n i n g for the master to t e l l t h e m they are one w i t h the universe Eyes smel l flowers and become t h e m There's a deathless hush o n the f reeway t o n i g h t as a Pacif íc t i d a l wave a m i l e h i g h

sweeps i n Los Angeles hreathes its last gas and sinks i n t o the sea l i k e the Titanic a l l l ights l i t N i n e minutes la ter W i l l a Cather's Nebraska

sinks w i t h i t T h e seas eome i n over U t a h M o r m o n tabernacles washed away l i k e barnacles Coyotes are confounded & s w i m nowhere A n orchestra onstage i n O m a h a keeps on p l a y i n g Handel ' s Water Music H o r n s fill w i t h water

and bass players float away o n t h e i r ins t rumenta eh i teh ing t h e m hlíc lovers h o r i z o n t a l Chicago's L o o p becomes a rol lereoaster Sky scrapei's i i l l e t l l i k e water glasses Great Lakes m i x e d w i t h B u d d h i s t b r i n e Great Books watered d o w n i n Kvanston M i l w a u k e e beer topped w i t h sea f o a m Beau Fleuve of BuiTalo suddenly beeome salt M a n h a t t a n I s l a n d swept clean i n sixteen seconds b u r i e d masts of N e w A m s t e r d a m arise as the great wave sweeps o n Eas tward lo wash away over-agc Camembert E u r o p e M a n n a h a t l a steaming i n sea-vines the washed l a n d awakes again to wilderness the o n l y sound a vast t h r u m m i n g of cr ickets a ery of seabirds h i g h over i n e m p t y e te rn i ty as the H u d s o n retakes its th ickets a n d i n d i a n s r e c l a i m t h e i r eanoes

138

L O S T P A R E N T S

It takes a fast car to lead a douhle l i f e

i n these days of short-distance love affairs w h e n he has far -out lovers i n

three d i f fe rent locations and a date w i t h each one

at least twice a week a l i t t l e s imple a r i t h m e t i c shows

w h a t a w o r k o u t he's engaged i n Crossing & recrossing the c i ty

f r o m b e d r o o m to pat io to s w i m m i n g p o o l the i g n i t i o n k e y hot

and the backseat a j u m b l e of clothes for d i f fe rent l ife-styles

a s u r f b o a r d on the roof and a copy of K a h l i l G i b r a n or R o d M c K u e n

under the dashboard next to the I n d i a n music casettes

packs of T a r o t and the Í -Ching c r a m m e d i n t o the glove c o m p a r t m e n t

along w i t h oíd traffic t ickets and hardpaeks of Ken ts

dents al test ing l o the passion of bis last lover

A n d his answering service catching h i m o n the f reeway

between t w o calis or t w o encounter groups and the urgent message l e f t

w i t h an u n l i s t e d n u m b e r l o ca l i C ar o l about the bot t le of fine w i n e

he forgot to p i c k u p and del iver to the ga l lery

f o r the recept ion at n i n e 139

W h i l e she shuttles to her gynecologist and w i l l meet h i m later

between t w o other numbers male or female

i n e l u d i n g his w i f e w h o also eal led t wice

w a n t i n g to k n o w where he's been and w h a t he's done

w i t h t h e i r t h r o w - a w a y c h i l d r e n w h o

l e f t to t h e i r o w n devices A ' i n a beaeh house at M a l i b u

grew u p and d r o p p e d out i n t o N o t h i n g i n a J u n g i a n search

I f o r lost parents t h e i r o w n age

•.

••••.li;--':Í;.V, |! : , ,(.

140

T

P E O P L E G E T T I N G D I V O R C E D

l e o p l e ge t t ing divoreed r i d i n g a r o u n d w i t h t h e i r clothes i n the car

and w o n d e r i n g w h a t happened to everyone and e v e r y t h i n g

i n e l u d i n g t h e i r o ther p a i r of shoes

A n d i f y o u spy one t h e n w h o knows w h a t happened

to the o ther w i t h tongue alack

and years la ter n o t even k n o w i n g i f the other ever

f o u n d a mate w i t h o u t s p l i t t i n g the seams

or r e m a i n e d intact unlaced

a n d the solé ah t h e soul

a cur ious concept ion h a n g i n g o n somehow

to w a l k again i n the free a ir

once the heel has been replaced

141

S H O R T S T O R Y O N A P A I N T I N G O F

G U S T A V K L I M T

T hey are kneeHng u p r i g h t ou a ñowered h e d H e

has jus t caught her there and holds h e r s t i l l

H e r g o w n has s l ipped d o w n

off her shoulder H e has an urgent hunger

H i s d a r k head bends to hers

h u n g r i l y A n d the w o m a n t l ie w o m a n

turns l ier tanger ine l ips f r o m his one h a n d l i k e the head of a dead swan

d r a p e d d o w n over h is heavy neck

the fingers strangely c r i m p e d

t i g h t l y together her o ther a r m d o u h l e d up

against her t i g h t breast her h a n d a l a n g u i d c law

e l u t c h i n g his h a n d w h i c h w o u l d t u r n her m o u t h

to bis her l o n g dress made

of m u l t i e o l o r e d blossoms q u i l t e d o n g o l d

her T i t i a n h a i r w i t h b lue stars i n i t

142

A n d his g o l d h a r l e q n i n robe

eheekered w i t h d a r k squares

G o l d garlands stream d o w n over

her bare calves & tensed feet

N e a r b y there must be a j eweled tree

w i t h glass leaves ag l i t t e r i n the gold a i r

I t must he m o r n i n g

i n a f a r a w a y place somewhere T h e y

are s i lent toget l ier as i n a flowered fíeld

u p o n the s u m m er couch w h i c h must be hers

A n d he holds her s t i l l so passionately

holds her head to his so gent ly so ins is tent ly

to make her t u r n her l ips to his

H e r eyes are closed l i k e f o lded petáis

She w i l l not open *

. H e is n o t the One »'

A L I E N A T I O N : T W O B E E S

I carne u p o n t h e m i n the cab in— the angry one at the w i n d o w

and the oíd bent one on the bed the one at t l ie w i n d o w b u z z i n g & b u z z i n g

' !• I b e a t i n g it8 wings on the w i n d o w beat ing the pane

the one o n the b e d the s i lent one w i t h the bent f r a m e

alone on the eounterpane I d i d n ' t mean to k i l l t h e m

b u t the one i n the w i n d o w w o u l d n ' t be waved

back to his h i v e T h e door was open a n d he k n e w i t

a n d flew i n i t f o r a m o m e n t . . , !; a n d t h e n flew back

íi;' j away f r o m bis c o m m u n i t y S o m e t h i n g h a d a l ienated h i m

a n d he w o u l d n o t go back or was i t perhaps i

¡ the w o u n d e d one on t h e b e d w h o k e p t h i m

I t r i e d to get h i m to fasten onto , , a c r u m p l e d page >

I of the l o c a l news b u t he w o u l d n o t v

A n d I must have h u r t h i m d o i n g t h a t • ' f o r he f e l l on t h e b e d

and d i e d i n an instant s t re tch ing o u t his legs

o r arms

144

as i f to h is comrade or l o v e r w h o crawled a q u a r t e r - i n c h t o w a r d h i m

and t h e n h u n eh ed u p i n t o a very s m a l l f u r r y b a l l

a n d was s t i l l and w o u l d n o t move again

As a l l at once outside the h i v e h u m m e d l o u d e r

w i t h a m i l l i o n m i l d conformists w i t h w i l d antennas bent

N o t one flew out to wake the dead ^

N o measenger was sent , i

O L B E R S ' P A R A D O X

A - n d I heard the learned astronomer whose ñame was H e i n r i c h Olbers

speaking to us across t l ie centuries about h o w he observed w i t h naked eye

h o w i n the sky there were some few stars cióse up

and the f u r t h e r away he l o o k e d the m o r e of t h e m t i i e re were

w i t h i n f i n i t e nunibers of clusters of stars i n m y r i a d M i l k y Ways & m y r i a d nebulae

So t h a t f r o m th is we may deduce t h a t i n the i n f i n i t e distances

there must be a place there must be a place

wl iere a l l is l i g h t and that the l i g h t f r o m that h i g h place

where a l l is l i g h t s i m p l y hasn't got here yet

w h i c h is w h y we s t i l l have n i g h t

B u l w h e n at last t l i a t Hght arr ives w h e n at last i t does get here

the p a r t of day we n o w ca l i N i g h t w i l l have a w l i i t e sky

w i t h l i t t l e b lack dots i n i t l i t t l e b lack holes

w l i e r e once were stars A n d t h e n i n t h a t symbol i c

so poetic place w h i c h w i l l be ours

w e ' l l be o u r o w n t r u e shadows and our o w n i l l u m i n a t i o n

o n a sunset e a r t h

146

U P O N R E F L E C T I O N

. V ight 's b l a c k m i r r o r is b r o k e n

the star crab has scutt led away

w i t h the i n k w e l l

i n t o I n d i a

D a w n

sows i ts m u s t a r d seed

I n the steep ravines and gulches

of B i g Sur

s m a l l animáis s t i r

u n d e r the t o u g h u n d e r b r u s h

as sun creeps d o w n the canyon wal l s

i n t o the n a r r o w meadows

where the w i l d q u a i l

r u n & c luck

D a y t i m e m o o n

af ter m u c h re f lec t ion says

Sun is G o d

A n d the s t ream

s tanding s t i l l

ruahes f o r w a r d

D E E P C H E S S • ' S ^ ' Í •• ^y--

L i f e i tsel f l i k e c h a m p i o n s h i p chess d a r k players j o u s t i n g

on a c l ieckered field where y o u have o n l y

so m u c h t i m e r ; , ¡ to complete y o u r moves

A n d y o u r clocfc r u n n i n g a l l t h e t i m e

and i f y o u take i ', . i > ! ; , too m u c h t i m e

for one m o v e y o u have t h a t m u c h less

f o r t h e rest : of y o u r l i f e

A n d y o u r opponent • ^ ¡ i > , , , d a r k or f a i r ' ¡ '

( w h i c h m a y or may n o t be • . ' l i f e i t se l f ) : , ,

bugging y o u w i t h his deep eyes '.[ '• o r ohscenely w i g g l i n g his crazy eyebrows

o r b l o w i n g snioke i n y o u r face or crossing and recrossing his legs

o r h e r legs o r o therwise screwing a r o u n d

a n d act ing l i k e some insolent i n v u l n e r a b l e unbeatable god

w h o can read y o u r m i n d & hear t A n d one hasty m o v e

may r u i n y o u . •'• f o r y o u m u s t p lay

deep chess ( l i k e the one deep game Spassky w o n f r o m F isher )

148

A n d i f y o u r u n s t u d i e d o p e n i n g was n o t too b r i U i a n t

y o u m u s t p lay to w i n n o t d r a w and suddenly come uj) w i t h

a new N a b o k o v v a r i a t i o n A n d t h e n lay H i m o u t at last

w i t h some super end-game no one has ever even dreamed of

A n d there's s t i l l t i m e — Y o u r move '

A M E E T I N G O F E Y E S I N M E X I C O

O u d d e n l y y o u are speaking to me over the audience — as I speak m y p o e m to i t M y eyes encounter yours over the c r o w d Just a p a i r of eyes out there i n a far f o t o of faces dis tant lamps i n a d a r k landscape flickering A n d the eyes speak— i n whatever tongue— -T h e p o e m ends T h e eyes go o n b u r n i n g A n d there is applause o u t there as o n a d a r k sea , I hear i t d i s t a n t l y as i n a sea shel l— shreds of s u n l i g h t b l o w n — As la ter y o u r voice comes t h r o u g h — i n whatever tongue— an impassioned ques t ion ing of m y poem— I answer back over the heads of the audience

answer y o u D a r k eyes

speak to y o u over t h e i r heads

D a r k one ' T h e r e is none

l i k e y o u among the dancers '

T e amo

T H E G E N E R A L S O N G O F H U M A N I T Y

O n the eoast of C h i l e where N e r u d a l i v e d it 's w e l l k n o w n t h a t ;

seabirds o f t e n steal letters o u t of mai lboxes

w h i c h they w o u l d l i k e to sean f o r var ious reasons

S h a l l I enumérate the reasons? T h e y are q u i t e clear

even given the silence of b i r d s o n t h e sub jec t

(except w h e n they speak of i t among themselves

between cries) F i r s t of a l l

t h e y steal the letters because t h e y sense t h a t the Genera l Song

of the words of everyone h i d d e n i n these let ters

must c e r t a i n l y bear the keys , to the hear t i tsel f of h u m a n i t y

w h i c h the b i r d s themselves have never been able to f a t h o m

( i n fact e n t e r t a i n i n g m u c h d o u b t t h a t there ac tua l ly are

hearts i n h u m a n s ) A n d t h e n these b i rds have a f u r t h e r f e e l i n g

( , t h a t t h e i r o w n general song m i g h t somehow be e n r i c h e d

b y these strange cries of humans f W h a t a w e i r d b i r d - b r a i n idea

t h a t o u r t i t t e r i n g s m i g h t e n l i g h t e n t h e m )

152

B u t w h e n t l i ey stole away w i t h Neruda 's o w n letters

out of his m a i l b o x at Is la Negra they were i n fact steal ing back

t h e i r o w n Canto General w h i c h he h a d o r i g i n a l l y gathered

f r o m t h e m w i t h t h e i r omniverous & ecstatic

sweeping visión B u t n o w t h a t N e r u d a is dead

no m o r e such letters are w r i t t e n -and they must p l a y i t h y ear again—

the h i g h great song i n the heart of o u r b l o o d & silence

Cuernavaca, October 26, '75

E I G H T P E O P L E O N A G O L F C O U R S E A N D O N E B I R D O F F R E E D O M F L Y I N G O V E R

T X l i e p h o e n i x flies h i g h e r & h i g h e r

ahove e ight elegant people o n a gol f eourse w h o have t h e i r heads stuck i n the sands of a b i g t r a p One m a n raises his head and shouts I a m President of E a r t h . I r u l e . Y o u elected me, heh-heh. F o r e ! .' A second m a n raises his head. I a m K i n g of the Car. T h e car is m y weapon . 1 d r i v e a l l be fore me . Ye s h a l l have no o ther gods. W a t c h o u t . I ' m c o m i n g t h r o u g h . A t h i r d raises his head o u t of the sand. I r u n a rel igión. I a m y o u r s p i r i t u a l head. Never m i n d w h i c h rel igión. I d r i v e a l o n g b a l l . B o w d o w n and p u t t . A f o u r t h raises his head i n the b u n k e r . I a m the General . I have tanks to conquer deserts. A n d m y t a n k sha l l n o t want , I ' m t h i r s t y . W e p l a y R o U e r b a l l . I love A r a b s . A fífth raises his head and opens his m o u t h , 1 a m Y o u r Master's Voice , I r u l e n e w s p r i n t . I r u l e airwaves, l o n g & short , W e b e n d m i n d s . W e m a k e r e a l i t y to order , M i n d F u e k I n c o r p o r a t e d . A s i x t h m a n raises his g o l d b a l d head. I ' m y o u r f r i e n d l y m u l t i n a t i o n a l banker . I chew cigars r o l l e d w i t h petro-dol lars . We ' re above nat ions. W e c o n t r o l the c o n t r o l . I ' l l eat y o u a l l i n the end .

154

1 w o r k o n margins . Y o u r s . A w o m a n raises her head h igher t h a n anyone. I a m the L i t t l e W o m a n . I ' m the T e n d e r W a r r i o r w h o votes l i k e her husband. W h o t o o k m y hreasts. A final figure rises, c a r r y i n g a l l the clubs. Stop o r I ' l l shoot a hole- in-one. I ' m the Chief of A l l Pól ice . I eat meat. W e k n o w the enemy, Y o u bet ter bel ieve i t , W e ' r e w a t c h i n g a l l y o u paranoids . Go ahead & laugh . Y o u ' r e a l l i n the computer . We've got a l l y o u r numbers . Except one i m i d e n t i f i e d flying asshole. O n the radar sereen. Some d u m b b i r d , E v e r y t i m e I shoot i t d o w n i t rises.

155

P O P U L I S T M A N I F E S T O

x o e t s , come out of y o u r closets, O p e n y o u r w i n d o w s , open y o u r doors , Y o u have been holed-up too l o n g , > i n y o u r closed w o r l d s . Come d o w n , come d o w n w i ' M : f r o m y o u r Russian HÜls and T e l e g r a p h H i l l s , y o u r Beacon H i l l s and y o u r Chape l H i l l s , y o u r M o u n t Analogues and Montparnasses, • , i d o w n f r o m your foot h i l l s and mounta ins , out of y o u r tepees and domes. T h e trees are s t i l l f a l l i n g , . , and w e ' l l to the woods no more . ': -sw N o t i m e n o w f o r s i t t i n g i n t h e m As m a n burns d o w n his o w n house to roast his p i g . N o m o r e c h a n t i n g Haré K r i s h n a w h i l e R o m e burns . San Francisco's b u r n i n g , Mayakovsky 's Moscow's b u r n i n g the fossil-fuels of l i f e . ; ' N i g h t & the Horse approaehes ea t ing l i g h t , l ieat & power , and the clouds have trousers. N o t i m e n o w f o r the art is t to h i d e above, b e y o n d , b e h i n d the seenes, índi í ferent , p a r i n g his fíngernaíls, refíning h imse l f out of existence. N o t i m e n o w f o r o u r l i t t l e l i t e r a r y games, no t i m e n o w f o r o u r paranoias & h y p o c h o n d r i a s , no t i m e n o w f o r fear & l o a t h i n g , t i m e n o w o n l y f o r l i g h t & love .

156

W e have seen the hest m i n d s of o u r generat ion destroyed b y b o r e d o n i at p o e t r y readings. Poetry isn ' t a secret society, I t isn't a t emple e i ther . Secret words & chants w o n ' t d o any longer. T h e h o u r of o m i n g is over, ' the t i m e f o r k e e n i n g come, , • ' t i m e f o r keening & r e j o i c i n g , ' ' over the c o m i n g end of i n d u s t r i a l c i v i l i z a t i o n ' w h i c h is bad f o r e a r t h & M a n . i T i m e n o w to face o u t w a r d i n the f u l l lo tus p o s i t i o n w i t h eyes w i d e open . T i m e n o w to open y o u r mouths ' w i t h a new open speech, t i m e n o w to c o m m u n i c a t e w i t h a l l sentient beings, A l l y o u *Poet8 of the Ci t ies ' h u n g i n museums, i n e l u d i n g myself , ¡ A l l y o u poet's poets w r i t i n g p o e t r y ' r • -about p o e t r y , ' . ' • A l l y o u poetry w o r k s h o p poets " f i n the boondock hear t of A m e r i c a , A l l y o u l iouse-broken Ezra Pounds, A l l y o u far -out f reaked-out cut -up poets, A l l y o u pre-stressed Concrete poets, A l l y o u c u n n i l i n g u a l poets, A l l y o u pay- to i le t poets groaning w i t h grafRtti , A l l y o u A - t r a i n swingers w h o never swing o n birches , A l l y o u masters of the s a w m i l l h a i k u i n the Siberias of A m e r i c a , . " A l l y o u eyeless unreal ists , A l l y o u sel f -occul t ing supersurrealists , A l l y o u b e d r o o m visionaries and closet agi tpropagators , • '

A l l y o u G r o u c h o M a r x i s t poets and leisure-class Comrades w h o l i e a r o u n d a l l day and t a l k ahout the workingclass p r o l e t a r i a t , A l l y o u Cathol ic anarchists of p o e t r y , A l l y o u B lack Mounta ineers of poet ry , A l l y o u Boston B r a h m i n s and Bol inas bucolice , A l l y o u den mothers of p o e t r y , A l l y o u zen brothers of p o e t r y , A l l y o u suicide lovers of p o e t r y , A I I y o u h a i r y professors of poesie, A l l y o u poetry reviewers d r i n k i n g the b l o o d of the poet , A l l y o u Poetry Pól ice— W h e r e are W h i t m a n ' s w i l d c h i l d r e n , where the great voices speaking o u t w i t h a sense of sweetness and s u b l i m i t y , where the great new visión, the great w o r l d - v i e w , the h i g h p r o p h e t i c song of the immense e a r t h and a l l t h a t sings i n i t A n d o u r r e l a t i o n to i t — Poets, descend to the street of the w o r l d once m o r e A n d open y o u r m i n d s & eyes w i t h the oíd v isual d e l i g h t , Clear y o u r t l i r o a t and speak u p , Poetry is dead, l o n g l i v e p o e t r y w i t h t e r r i b l e eyes and b u f f a l o s t rength . D o n ' t w a i t f o r the R e v o l u t i o n or i t ' l l happe n w i t h o u t y o u . Stop m u m b l i n g and speak o u t w i t h a new wide-open p o e t r y w i t h a new commousensual ' p u b l i e surface '

158

w i t h o ther subject ive levéis or o ther subversive levéis, a t u n i n g f o r k i n the i n n e r ear to s t r ike be low the surface. O f y o u r o w n sweet Self s t i l l s ing yet u t te r ' the w o r d en-masse'— Poetry the c o m m o n carr ie r f o r the t r a n s p o r t a t i o n of the p u b l i e to h i g h e r places t h a n other wheels can carry i t . Poetry s t i l l fa l ls f r o m the skies i n t o o u r streets s t i l l open. T h e y haven' t p u t u p the barr icades , yet , the streets s t i l l a l ive w i t h faces, love ly m e n & w o m e n s t i l l w a l k i n g there , s t i l l lovely creatures everywhere , i n the eyes of a l l the secret of a l l s t i l l b u r i e d there , W h i t m a n ' s w i l d c h i l d r e n s t i l l s leeping there , A w a k e and w a l k i n the open a i r .

from N o r t h w e s t E c o l o g

1978

\

^ V-, '.1

T H E O L D S A I L O R S v „ ^

On the green r iverbank age late fifties

1 a m beginning to r e m i n d myself

of my great Unele Désir in the V i r g i n Islands

On a Saint Thomas baek beach he l ived when I last saw h i m i n a small shack

,,, ; under the palms E i g h t y years oíd

straight as a V i k i n g (where the Danés once landed)

he stood looking out over the flat sea

blue eyes or grey w i t h the sea i n t h e m

salt upon his lashes

were always sea wanderers N o salt here now

by the great r iver i n the h igh desert range

Oíd sailors stranded ; the steelhead

| i they too lost w i t h o u t i t I ; leap up and die

jL63

«te

W I L D L I F E C A M E O , E A R L Y M O R N '^

B y the great r iver Deschutes on the meadowbank greenaward

Bun j u s t h i t t i n g the h igh bluffs

stone ehffs sculpted high away

across the r iver

A t the foot of a steep b r o w n slope a mile away

six w h i t e - t a i l deer four young bucks w i t h branehed antlers

and t w o smal l does mute in e terni ty

d r i n k i n g the r iver then in real t i m e raising heads

and c l i m b i n g up and up a steep fa int switchback

i n t o f u l l sun

I b r i n g t h e m cióse i n the binoculars as in a round carneo

There is a hol low bole i n a tree one looks i n t o

One b y one they d r i n k silence

(the t w o does last) one by one

c l imb up so calm over the r i m of the canyon

and w i t h o u t looking back disa])pear forever

164

L i k e certain people i n m v life

R E A D I N G A P O L L I N A I R E B Y

T H E R O G U E R I V E R

Reading Apol l ina i re here s i t t i n g crosslegged on sleepingbag & poncho i n the shadow of a huge h i l l before the sun clears i t W o k e up early on the shore and heard the r iver shushing (l ike the sound a snake m i g h t make s l id ingover r iprap i f you magnif ied the sound) M v head s t i l l d o w n upon the ground one eye w i t h o u t perspective sees the stream sl iding by through the sand as in a desert landscape L i k e a huge green watersnake w i t h w h i t e water markings the r iver slithers bv and where the canyon turns and the r iver drops f r o m sight seems l ike a snake about to disappear d o w n a deep hole Indians made their m y t h s of this great watersnake slid d o w n f r o m mountains far away A n d I see the Roguc for real as the Indians saw h i m the Rogue al l w i l d w h i t e water a cold-blouded creature d r o w n i n g and dousing the Rogue ruler of the land t rans forming i t at w i l l w i t h a w i l l of its o w n

a creature to be feared and respected , ^ p i l lag ing its way to the sea ^ w i t h great g r a v i t y s l i l l ruled by that g r a v i t y • / i w h i c h s t i l l rules a l l so t h a t we m i g h t almost say . , -.^^ G r a v i t y is God , , , manifest ing Himsel f , , ;; '•{' as Great God Sun w h o w i l l one day make Himse l f i ¡uto a black hole i n space , . ,, w h o w i l l one day implode H i m s e l f ; , i n t o N o t h i n g ,,, A l l of w h i c h the s l i ther ing Rogue • knows n o t h i n g of . i ' ) • in its hcadlong ' • ,i . ¡ ' , ; , ' • . . [ , i

b l i n d rush to the sea ; ,^ , ' ; , , vil ,, A n d though i ts head ; ,,. , ^ , , ^ is already being eaten , , b y t h a t most cruel and c h u r n i n g ,,, • monsterOcean i • , • i • i V. the t a i l of the snake ' , ; , ,'. ,¡',^' k n o w s i t n o t v ,,;•!.•, and continúes t u r n i n g & t u r n i n g . i., t o w a r d its final hole , <,., and t o w a r d t h a t final black hole i, , ! v i n t o w h i c h al l somQ da\' w i l l be sucked b u r n i n g ;, • , , i , ^

As i sit reading a French poet '| whose most famous poem is about

the r iver t h a t runs t h r o u g h the c i t y I , t a k i n g t ime & life & lovers w i t h i t

A n d none r e t u r n i n g ': . ! ; ^ none r e t u r n i n g

H O R S E S A T D A W N

The horses the horses the w i l d horses at d a w n ' ''-/^í,•f^^ , , ; ^^->^s i n a watercolor b y Ben Shahn ' ' ^

they are alive i n the h igh meadow ^ i n the h igh eountry on the far^mesaV v" y o u can see t h e m galloping ^ — ^ , O y o u can see t h e m snort ing y o u can hear their thunder d i s t a nt ly y o u can hear the smal l thunder of the i r small hooves

Únsistently

ttlu

I N T O T H E D E E P E R P O O L S . . .

I p u t o n the d i v i n g mask and went d o w n / A f e w feet he low the surface a few m i n n o w s r i r c l e d m e / A l i t t l e f u r t h e r d o w n a few s m a l l t r o u t no m o r e t h a n three inches / 1 l i e motionless j u s t be low the surface and search the deepest p a r t of the p o o l / T h e r e at the very b o t t o m between boulders / i n t h e very deepest ho le / 1 suddenly spy h i m / a huge f a t grey speckled t r o u t / perhaps e ight pounds / per fec t ly s t i l l against the grey roeks / H e w o u l d have been i n v i s i b l e f r o m the sur-face / and i n v i s i b l e w i t h o u t the mask / T h e n suddenly I see another f a t speckled t r o u t / n o t q u i t e as b i g / q u i t e cióse to the first / almost l i k e h is shadow / or h e r shadow / th i s one too per fec t ly motionless / as i f n o t even b r e a t h i n g / t h o u g h the s w i f t s tream p o u r e d b y above i t / Summer of the great d r o u g h t / and this the o n l y deep p o o l l e f t / the stream i tse l f s h r u n k to a w i d t l i of t w e n t y feet / T h e p o o l isolated b y rapids at each end / Last season the t w o fish must have m a d e i t u p this f a r / t h e n the stream s h r u n k s t i l l m o r e / and here t h e y were caught / i n the s h r i n k i n g ho le / where they lay m o t i o n ­less / w a i t i n g / t r a p p e d / t h e i r w o r l d s h r i n k i n g and s h r i n k ­i n g / S t i l l t h e y l i e at the b o t t o m / very s t i l l / conserving w h a t they've got / F i shermen d o n ' t have div ingmasks a n d never see t h e m d o w n there and pasa on q u i c k l y / aa w e d ive d o w n again & again / and see the fish i n t h e i r steady-state of m e d i -t a t i o n / a final yoga d i sc ip l ine / w h i c h c o u l d go on u n t i l there is no water at a l l l e f t i n the stream / T h e n we m i g h t find t h e m / s t i l l i n s w i m m i n g poa i t ion / fins extended / m o u t h s l i g h t i y oj)en / eyes h a l f closed / O r s t i l l la ter we m i g h t find t h e i r skeletons in tac t / i n the same posit ions / baked i n t h e firey sun / l i k e B u d d h i s t m o n k s b u r n e d a l ive i n lotus posi­t ions / O r s t i l l m u c h la ter another age m i g h t discover / t w o fossil skeletons / i m p r i n t e d o n the boulders / at the very b o t t o m of t h e c r y p t / as evidence of some f o r m e r strange

168

f o r m / of a t h i n g cal led L i f e / A n d i f we stayed on here w i t h t h e m / w a i t i n g & w a i t i n g / t h a t la ter age / m i g h t also n o t be able to i m a g i n e one b o y and his f a t h e r fishing / b y th i s stream /' t h o u g h o u r t w o r o u n d skulls be f o u n d / w i t h t h e fishes / Y e t seeing n o w the beauty of those fish / d o w n there be low the surface / so s t i l l and l o v e l y / i n t h e i r deep d r e a m / d a p p l e d i n t h e i r last deep p o o l / W e fish no longer / t u r n / a n d go o n / i n t o the deeper pools / of o u r o w n l ives .

169

R O U G H S O N G O F A N I M A L S D Y I N G

I n a dream w i t h i n a dream I dreamt a dream of the rea l i ty of existenee inside the u l t i m a t e computer ,, ' , ' '¡ í ^ r w hich is the universe J 'v, V''i',\.;''!'.'i':'\ii i n w h i c h the A r r o w of T i m e , ;i : > í;' j 'y^'i^. i,' flies b o t h ways ••• ':'•;> '(•'/•'•' v •:••)•.''•/ '••'ÍI

t h r o u g h bent space I n a dream w i t h i n a dream I dreamt a dream of al l the animáis d y i n g ^ ' ' a l l animal» everywhere ' ' ^ ' d y i n g & d y i n g ' ' ' the w i l d animáis the longhaired animáis winged animáis feathered animáis clawed & scaled & f u r r y animáis r u t t i n g & d y i n g & d y i n g T:' ' I n a dream w i t h i n a dream I dreamt a dream of creatures everywhere d y i n g o u t i n shr ink ing rainforests ¡i' •• ,! i n piney woods & high sierras | on s h r i n k i n g prairies & tumbleweed mesas captured beaten strapped starved & stunned cornered & traded , species n o t meant to be nomadic ' ; wander ing rootless as m a n I n a dream w i t h i n a dream I dreamt a dream of al l the animáis c r y i n g o u t i n their h idden places > ' < ; '. K;' i i ;

i n the s t i l l silent places le f t to t h e m , ' s l i nk i ng away & c r a w l i n g about ,' ; t h r o u g h the last w i l d places ; ' ' t h r o u g h the dense underbrush ' , / the last Great Thickets , ' ' ' ' beyond the mountains j-, ,' í • • ,

170

•••;r:'íW'-

erisscrossed w i t h switchbacks beyond the marshes i, beyond the plains & fences (the West w o n w i t h barbed-wire machines) i n the h i g h eountry • ; : i n the low eountry •',• ;,r ••. i'.'^i'; •;,.. , crisscrossed w i t h highways I n a dream w i t h i n a dream I dreamt a dream of how they feed & r u t & r u n & hide i I n a dream w i t h i n a dream I saw * j how the seáis are beaten on the ice-fields / , the soft w h i t e f u r r y seáis w i t h eggshell skulls the Great Green turt ies beaten & eaten exotic birds netted & caged & tethered K ,• ^ ;¡i rare w i l d beasts & strange reptiles & wei r d woozoos hunted d o w n for zoos by bearded blackmarketeers w h o afterwards ride around Singapore i n Germán limousines I n a dream w i t h i n a dream I dreamt a dream - ' of the ear th beating u p & d r y i n g out i n the famous Greenhouse Effect under its canopy of carbón dioxide breathed o u t b v a b i l l i o n i infernal combustión engines mixed w i t h the sweet smell of b u r n i n g flesh I n a dream w i t h i n a dream I dreamt a dream of animáis cal l ing to each other i n codes we never understand • ' The seal and steer ery out i n the same voice as they are clubbed i n Chicago stockyards & N e w f o u n d l a n d snowfields I t is the same ery Th e wounds never heal

171

•te

i n the commonweal of animáis W e steal their lives i to feed our o w n and w i t h their lives our dreams are sown I n a dream w i t h i n a dream I dreamt a dream OI the dai ly scrimmage for existence i n the w i n d - u p model of the universe the spinning meat-wheel w o r l d i n w hich I was a fish w h o eats his t a i l i n w h i c h I was a claw upon a beach i n w h i c h 1 was a snake upon a tree i n w h i c h T was a serpent's egg a y i n - y a n g y o l k of good and evi l about to consume itself '

172

f r o m . L a n d s c a p e s o f L i v i n g & D y i n g

1 9 7 9

T H E O L D I T A L I A N S D Y I N G

years the oíd I ta l ians have been d y i n g a l l over America For years the oíd I tal iana i n faded felt hats have been sunning themselves and d y i n g Y o u have seen t h e m on the benehes i n the p a r k i n W a s h i n g t o n Square the oíd I ta l ians i n the i r blaek h igh b u t t o n shoes the oíd m e n i n their oíd fel t fedoras

w i t h stalned hatbands have been d y i n g and d y i n g

day by day Y o u have seen t h e m every day i n Washington Square San P'rancisco

•| • t h e s l o w b e l l tol ls i n the m o r n i n g i n the Chureh of Peter & Paul i n the marz ipan church on the plaza t o w a r d ten i n the m o r n i n g the slow bell tolls i n the towers of Peter S¿ Paul and the oíd men who are s t i l l al ive sit sunning themselves i n a row , , on the wood benehes in the park and w a t c h the processions in an out . funerais in the m o r n i n g weddings in the af ternoon slow bell i n the m o r n i n g Fast bell at noon Tn one door out the other the oíd men sit there i n their hats and w a t c h the coming & going Y o u have seen t h e m ¡ . the ones who feed the pigeons ,¡

c u t t i n g the stale bread w i t h their t h u m b s & péhtnives

the ones w i t h oíd pocketwatches the oíd ones w i t h gnarled hands

and w i l d eyebrows the ones w i t h the baggy pants

w i t h b o t h bett & suspenders the grappa drinkers w i t h teeth l ike corn the Piemontesi the Genovesi the Sicilianos

smelling of garlic & pepperonia the ones who loved Mussol in i the oíd fascists the ones w h o loved Gar iba ld i the oíd anarchists reading UVmanita Nova the ones who loved Sacco 8L V a nz e t t i They are almost all gone now T h e y are s i t t i n g and w a i t i n g their t u r n and sunning themselves i n f r o n t of the church over the doors of w h i c h is inscribed a phrase w hich w o u l d seem to be unfinished f r o m Dante 's Paradiso about the glory of the One

w h o moves e v e r y t h i n g . . . The oíd men are w a i t i n g for i t to be finished for their glorious sentence on earth

to be finished the slow bell tol ls & tolls the pigeons s t ru t about not even t h i n k i n g of flying the air too heavy w i t h heavy t o l l i n g T h e black hired bearses draw up the black limousines w i t h black windowshades shielding the widows the widows w i t h the long black veils who w i l l out l ive them al l Y o u have seen t h e m

madre di térra, madre di mare T h e widows c l i m b o u t of the limousines The f a m i l y mourners step out i n st i f f suits The widows walk so s lowly up the steps of the cathedral fishnet veils d r a w n d o w n leaning hard on d a r k c l o t h arms T h e i r faces do not fa l l apart T h e y are merely d r a w n apart They are st i l l the matr iarchs o u t l i v i n g everyone the oíd dagos d y i n g o u t i n L i t t l e I t a i v s al l over America the oíd dead dagos hauled out i n the m o r n i n g sun t h a t does not m o u r n for anyone One by one Year by year they are carried out The bell never stops t o l l i n g The oíd I ta l ians w i t h lapstrake faces are hauled out of the hcarses by the p a i d pallbearcrs in mafioso m o u r n i n g coats & dark glasses The oíd dead men are hauled out in their black coflins like small skiffs T h e y enter the t ruc church for the first t ime i n many years in these carved black boats

readv to be ferried over The priests scurry about

as i f to cast off the lines The other oíd men

s t i l l al ive on the benehes w a t c h i t a l l w i t h their hats on

•te

178

Y o u have seen t h e m s i t t i n g there ' ^ ,,„,;,iWaiting for the bocei hal l to stop roHing '' '*t

w a i t i n g for the bell to stop t o l l i n g & t o l l i n g

for the slow bel l ' : . . . i ' ,

to be finished t o l l i n g te l l ing the unfínished Paradiso s tory as seen ín an unfínished phrase r .ív .'•

on the faee of a church as seen i n a físherman's face , J; i n a black boat w i t h o u t sails ' *v ' i . : ' ' ^ i ' Í - ' ' m a k i n g his f inal haul , , /(¡i ; ' ;> :

T H E S E A A N D O U R S E L V E S ' y^'^

A T C A P E A N N '

. V j a w C a w C a w on a far shingle long ago > ; , .

¡ when as a boy I came here , ' • , ! - " • p u t ear to shell

of the t h u n d e r i n g sea Bunderingsea

seagulls h i g h over I cal l ing & cal l ing

back then , i ; ' ! at Cape A n n Gloucester

Where Olson saw himself Ishmael and wrote his o w n epi taph : ,i >

* I set out now in a box upon the sea'

A n d Creeley f o u n d his crecí yet w o u l d not / ed. not

speak of the sea A n d Ferr in i took the wind 's clothes

and became the conscience o f Gloucester Y e t none could breathe

a soul i n t o the sea í'. A n d I saw the t ide pools gasping

V , the Bca's m o u t h roar ing I (, polyphoboistrous

beyond the T e n Pound L i g h t • ' • , . . , , ' „ ; • roister ing

off far is lands Where E l i o t heard i •

the sea's stark m e d i t a t i o n i , i ' ' off fceauporí Gloucester

Where I as a m a n m u c h later made a landfa l l i n the gloaming

s ight ing f r o m seaward i n convoy heyond the gulls ' far off

ta t tered cries cats'cries lost

reached to us ' i n shredded enatches

T h e n as n o w E l i o t must

have been a seaman in his c i ty-soul

t o have heard so deeply the sea's voice sounding then

i n 'The D r y Salvages' Here now

where now is the sea's urge s t i l l

sea's surge and thunder except w i t h i n us

folded under b y the beach road now

' r a p t i n darkness The sea st i l l a great door never opened

great ships asunder c l inker -bui l t bot toms

nets h u n g w i t h cork hulls heavy w i t h cauik ing

W h i l e s t i l l the Nor'easter blows st i l l the high tides

•! seethe & sweep shorcward batter the breakwaters

the granite harbors rock villages

Land's E n d lashed again i n ' the sudden f u r y '

A n d s t i l l the stoned gulls soaring over c r y i n g & cal l ing & c r y i n g

blissed-out u p there i n the darkening air

over the r u n n i n g sea theruningsea

over dark stone beach under stars Where now we sit

'distracted f r o m dis t rac t ion ' s t i l l Odyssey tu r n ed to Iliad

i n parked cars

y '

A S W E E T F L Y I N G D R E A M

W e were t w o naked l ight-headed dandelions

w i t h natura l hair b lown out floating h igh over the landscape

b l o w n b y zephyr winds our long legs dangl ing

straight d o w n translucent

dandelion stems i n an archetypal p r i m o r d i a l dream

of flying Sweet hil ls & waters

flowed below us as we floated h igh over

lakes & rivers & w i n d b l o w n peaks

We d r i f t e d

waf ted easily We

flew wingless F u l l of air

our hair • j ; ' . . ; , , , ,„ j buoyed us

, : ;• We tra i led our s l im legs

in streams of silver air There

was n o t h i n g b l o w i n g U S d o w n

o r a w a y f r o m each other

182

A f t e r a long way and a long while

we glided d o w n

I lower & lower in great swinging eircles , ;

T he sea the lapping sea

roseup and we

were over d r y gold land

, , cióse u p and 11 í-

I was a f ra id y o u w o u l d come against the ground too hard

a n d I reached d o w n and took

your t w o extended hands in mine

and held you below me l ike that

floating As we d r i f t e d

lower & lower i the earth

came u p to us so softly

A n d ' ! we landed

so quie t ly sank

so gently to the b r i g h t soft ground

A n d lay i n the l ight flowerless fields

T W O S C A V E N G E R S I N A T R U C K , ^

T W O B E A U T I F U L P E O P L E I N A

M E R C E D E S

. A . t the stopHght w a i t i n g for the Hght N i n e A . M . d o w n t o w n San Franeisco

a b r i g h t yel low garba ge t r u c k w i t h t w o garbagemen i n red plástic blazers

s tanding on the back stoop one on each side hanging on

and looking d o w n i n t o an elegant open Mercedes

w i t h an elegant couple i n i t The m a n

i n a h ip three-piece l inen suit w i t h shoulder-length b l o n d hair & sunglasses

T he v oung b l o n d w o m a n so casuallv coifed w i t h a short s k i r t and colored stockings

on the way to his architcct 's office

A n d the t w o seavengers up since Four A . M . grungy f r o m their route

on the way home T he oider of the t w o w i t h grey i ron hair

and hunehed back looking d o w n l ike some

gargoyle Quasimodo A n d the younger of the t w o

also w i t h simglasses & longhair about the same age as the Mercedes dr iver

A n d b o t h seavengers gazing d o w n as f r o m a great distance

at the cool couple

184

as i f they were watch ing some odorless T V ad i n whic h e v e r y t h i n g is always possible

A n d the very red l ight for an instant ho ld ing al l four cióse together

as i f a n y t h i n g at a l l were possible between t h e m

across t h a t grcat gulf in the h igh seas

of thisdeniorracv

185

T H E B I L L B O A R D P A I N T E R S i

T h e two

white-overal led white-capped i í : , signpainters

/ '.•:':'''r''l''y'V' on the h i g h • , V Hcaffold suspended

••• ' . on the huge \. bülboard •

' • '•„•"'••.';; beside the eievated freeway

p a i n t i n g a snapshot landseape of a South Sea island beach

i •

' : l ' w i t h lagoon and coral reef and ¡', ; !\s

,• ."'•í'/p''!''V,¡ •'• /•••')['' ' ' i , t h r u w h i c h the sun ' / , ' f l ' , ¡ i ' ' i ' . i s s e t t i n g a n d

the t w o •• '' '' '• • " !• w h i t e painters p a i n t i n g a ; -

' : , sunburned !,,ii i ¡ N o r t h Amer ican couple on the

,i;/'-;':'^ií'f:í;f'' •' ,:';] v;:i"'í''(,,::\e beach and the real sun eold

over the m y r i a d flashing cars i n ' ,' ' ' !ii '. , t h e m i d d l e o f San Francisco

I next t o the H a l l of quest ionmark Just iceand

the t w o ' : • , ., i ' "if' i " ' a l l -whi te painters

I , s truck motionless w i t h ' i ' ' I ' arms and paintbrushes raised

í,, ' , I , , ha l fway t h r u the ' / ;' i ' ' ' ' ' • " l a n d s c a p e w i t h

the r i g h t hal f pa inted and ^ , , :

the left h a l f s t i l l b lank w h i t e on w h i t e as i f

; , , the other hal f of the w o r l d had s t i l l to be prov ided for

;"' or as i f God or some other

s l ight iy less omnipotent ii I Creator was maybe

. changing his or her m i n d half-' way t h r u as i f

, even he or she was I ; , n o t so certain anymore i t

;, .! ' ¡!; :: i was such a good idea after • I,' •••••'. 1 ,1 • "(''í • a l l •

t o have these t w o so-white A l l A m e r i c a n

;., ••.i. ''¡'''-'W l''- painters p a i n t i n g t h a t paradise on earth

as i f •• •, the advertisers w h o '•'^^^f K\,''''

were p a y i n g for this sign h*d<*H íi'l^^ady recycled that

• 1' •! •,. •• í ' ' . '• ! ,-,• i j , ' . , '.'mí',, par t i cu lar paradise w i t h a j e t s t r ip and

i , hotels l o o k i n g l ike the v*' •; ; , . A m e r i c a n , , ' • " " ^ W ^ ^ ' ^ ' " ' ' '

román empire where ' they had l o advertise now i n

order to f i l l those fancy ' , ^ wateringplaces w i t h

¡ i i ; ' re t i red b i l lboard • ', . I . ' " ' i p a i n t e r s w h o

; ' ' belonged to the unión and ' got themselves and their wives

i, ''• •"' a l l these benefítsl ike

187

«te.

I- >

South Sea island t r ips after w o r k i n g al l their lives i n

u nt rop ica l plaees l ike San Francisco

w h i c h Sir Francis D r a k e f o u n d and

wrote back to the head of kis empire saying he

had j u s t discovered a real unspoiled

nat ive paradise and i f they hurr ied and

p u t up bi l lboards back home they m i g h t j u s t be able to

set up a colony o u t • .„..„ here w i t h

s w i m m i n g pools and even maybe make a p o t o f gold or

a k i l l i n g and die happy i n

< a beachchair very far

' ; ' ; r \m home

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•T^ n -

H O M E H O M E H O M E #

h ere are they going al l these brave i n t r e p i d animáis F u r and flesh i n Steel cabinets on wheels h i gh- ta i l i ng i t Four P M F r i d a y freeway over the hidden l a n d San Francisco's b u r n i n g w i t h the late sun i n a m i l l i o n windows The four-wheeled animáis are leaving i t to b u r n They ' re escaping almost flying home to the nest home to the w a r m caves i n the h idden hil ls & valleys home to daddy home to mama home to the l i t t l e wonders home to the pot plants behind the garage The cars the pa inted cabinets streak for home home home T H R U T R A F F I C M E R G E L E F T home to the hidden t u r n i n g the hidden yearning home to San José home to Santa Cruz & M o n t e r e y home to H a m i l t o n Avenue home to the Safeway the safest way Y I E L D

L E F T L A Ñ E M U S T T U R N L E F T

home to the h t t l e grey home i n the West home to C r a n d d a d d y on the golfcourse home to Unele IVed p u t t e r i n g in the toolshed , ,, i ¡ , having lost his pants , ; i on the stock exehange . , , • home to b ig sister , w h o lost her way ín encounter groups home l o the 9 7 - l b housewife d r i v i n g t w o tons o fehro m e & Steel ' three blocks t o the supermarket , ' to buy a package of baby pins home to l i t t l e sister i b lusbing w i t h boyfriends i f. r • ' i n the l a u n d r y r o o m home to k i d brother w i t h skateboards & Adidas home to m a d Unele buílding C B radios i n hidden bunkers home to backyard barbecues fi ; ;,. ' w i t h aerospace neighbors i . , M r . Wiison's coming over The Hendersons w i l l a l l be there • • H o m e to H i d d e n V^alley •: , where the wldow waits , <'. by the Cross on the m o u n t a i n 11 \ where hangs the t rue madness / home to Santa's Village V': 'i i ' j : , W I L U D I V I D K T O S U I T GAS F O O D L O D G I N G N E X T R I G H T home to where the food is ; , , home to Watsonvi l le (; > , ; - ; home to Salinas ' • v > , , past the Grapes of W r a t h ' ' past U n i t e d Farniworkera ',

stooped over artichokes home home over the horizon where the sun s t i l l blows i n t o the sea home to B i g Sur ^ ! > and the garden of delights and the oranges of Hieronymous Bosch the sun st i l l sets ;'. i • ( • i n lavender skies H o m e sweet home the salesman sighs home safe at home i n the b a t h r o o m safe w i t h the washingmachine & dishwasher safe w i t h the waterheater safe w i t h the k i tchen d o c k t i c k t i c k the t ime is not yet • :i : • the a larm is set .••>:'• •Z^' , '!,', safe at last in the douhle bed , i h idden f r o m each other i n the dark bed by the w i n d i n g stair .¡ , the enchanted place in the s t i l l air hidden each f rom each or the queensize bed the kingsize bed the waterbed w i t h the v i b r a t o r w i t h the n y l o n n y m p h o in i t the bed of roses the bed w i t h B i g E m m a in it w i t h the stoncd-out Angel i n i t I ^ : ( M o u n t a i n s of flesh H i l l s o f l i i p s A thighs R o l l i n g landscapes of heaving meat Groans & moans »& cries!) " Home to the bed we made and must lie in

w i t h *whoever' Or home to the bed s t i l l t o be made of ragas & visions the bed whose f o r m is puré l i g h t {and unheard melodies d a r k despairs & inchoate ecstasiea longings out of reaeh) W h o to decipher t h e m who answer t h e m singing each to each? H i d d e n f r o m themselves The beds are w a r m w i t h t h e m The springs quake on the San Andreas F a u l t The dark land broods L o o k i n m y eye, look i n m y eye the cvclope t v cries I t b l inks and rolls i ts glassy eye and shakes its v a c u u m head over the shaken bodies •. i n the bed

192

S A N J O S E S Y M P H O N Y R E C E P T I O N

{Flagrante delicio)

T h e bald m a n i n p l a i d p l a y i n g the harpsichord stopped short and sidled over

to the sideboard and copped a piece of M o k a

on a silver píate and slid back and started p l a v i n g again

some k i n d of H u n g a r i a n rhapsodate whi le the ladv w i t h the green eyeshades

leaned over h i m exuding a d m i r a t i o n & lust

ITalf notes danced & t u m b l e d o u t of his ins t rument

exuding a f a i n t odor of chocolate cake

i n the córner I was t a k i n g a course i n musical destruct ion

f r o m the d a r k ladv eellisl who bent over me w i t h her bow unsheathcd

and proceeded to saw me i n hal f As a consequencc m\s fell r i g h t off

revealing a badly bent t rombone whic h even the first flutist

who had perfect embouchure eouldn ' t s t ra ighten o u t

W H I T E O N W H I T E

194

T X o d a y I ' l ! w r i t e w h i t e on w h i t e

wear n o t h i n g b u t w h i t e , • ' i , d r i n k n o t h i n g b u t w h i t e • (¡ , eat n o t h i n g b u t w h i t e A n d I w o u l d be t h a t eea-ereature .•:':>',¿;¡ w h o eats l i g h t s t ra ining the ocean for its phosphorous For present t i m e i.', ' , '.r-, is a ' w h i t e d o t ' i n space i ; •' and whi te is the sand , : i, i i n the hourglass r u n n i n g o u t • , ,• W h i t e dunes of Afr ica -r u n n i n g t h r o u g h i t ^•J¡^\1 Snows of Siberia ,'• s i f t ing t h r o u g h i t , , If'! .iin T h e seas whi te w i t h sperm under the whi te m o o n where a l u m i n u m stars wheel about noiselessly i ^ ^ v . • ^/ , l : v^^ •••w,,. f,:;, • over q u i v e r i n g earth . i i 1 / \w i t h its w h i t e whales ;,'[,••,,,, y,./ w h i t e phagocytes „;,:,;' ,1 ' • ':•[' w h i t e bleached skulls • ' v ' ' i ^ and albino animáis (Blacks bleached out i n t o w h i t e men?) , A n d to dream of w h i t e s t r ing , a symbol of innocence , . ' T h o u g h the color of death be w h i t e A n d the w o r l d eheekered w i t h death whi le-on-biack & black-on-white

' d u m b pawns i n b lack-and-white k i n g d o m s ' A n ángel stands on a s ta t ion p l a t f o r m slowly shaking its gossamer wings A w h i t e horse comes alone f r o m a t o r n village Everywhere around the earth on s ta t ion p la t forms they are s t i l l p u t t i n g up the placards A' f» pasaran Go back W r o n g way W h i t e search lights search the sky T h e gun turrets t u r n on the oíd Walls T h e ángel s lowly moves i ts wings breath ing the l i g h t w h i t e air T h e earth hreathes and tremblee w i t h i t T h e governed w i l l be governed L i b e r t y is n o t freedom Eros versus c iv i l i za t ion N o W a y w i t h o u t a pass I t is snowing w h i t e documents T h e very r i c h get richer s t i l l A whi te gloved hand s t i l l reaches o u t the w i n d o w for the money in the cup L i b e r t y is n o t free T h e ángel stands on the edge of the s ta t ion p l a t f o r m

slowly m o v i n g i ts large w h i t e wings w h i c h look too fragüe to l i f t the body of being w h i c h s t i l l hreathes anarchist a ir A n d the t r a i n the t r a i n made of n o t h i n g b u t boxcars j a m m e d w i t h three b i l l ion people s t i l l stands i n the stat ion t r e m b l i n g A n d w h i t e phoenixes arise out of piñón smoke A n d the ' w h i t e sphinx of chance' s t i l l holds its tongue on the desert roads of the f u t u r e

.0' A N E L E G Y T O D I S P E L G L O O M

(After the assassinations of Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk in San francisco, November, 1978)

L e í ?t U S not sit upon the ground and tel l sad stories of the death of sanity . T w o humans made of flesh are meshed i n death and no more need be said. \ I t is puré v a n i t y to t h i n k t h a t all h u m a n i t y be bathed i n red , ^ because one young m a d m a n one so bad m a n lost his head. > The forcé t h a t t h r o u g h the red fuze drove the bul le t does not dr ive everyone through the C i t v of Saint Francis where there's a breathless hush i n the a ir today •' a hush at C i t y H a l l and a hush at the H a l l of Justiee a hush i n Saint Francis Wood where no b i r d tries t o s i n g

a hush on the Great H i g h w a y and i n the great harbor upon the great ships and on the Embarcadero f r o m the Miss ion Rock Resort to the Eagle Cafe

197

a hush on the great red bridge and on the great grey bridge a hush i n the Outer Miss ion and at I l u n t e r ' s Point a hush at a hot pota to stand on Pier 39 and a hush at the People's Temple where no b i r d tries its wings a hush and a weeping at the Convent of the Sacred H e a r t on Upper Broadway ' a hush upon the fleshpots of Lower Broadway a pal l upon the p u n k roek at M a b u h a y Gardens and upon the cafes and bookstores of oíd N o r t h Beach a hush upon the landscape of the s t i l l w i l d West where t w o sweet dudes are dead and no more need be said. D o not sit upon the ground and speak of other senseless murderings or worse disasters w a i t i n g i n the wings D o not sit upon the ground and la lk of the death of things beyond these sad sad happcnings. Such men as these do rise above our worst iniaginings.

A D I E U Á C H A R L O T .^«^

(Second Populist Manifestó) '

S o . „ t W h H ™ a „ . „ „ s „ f P „ e sons of Lorca & R i m b a u d or their dark daughters poets of another breath poets of another visión W h o among you st i l l speaks of r e v o l u t i o n W h o among v o u s t i l l unscrews the iocks f r o m the doors i n this revisionist deeade? ' Y o n are President of your o w n body, A m e r i c a ' Thus spoke K u s h i n Tepotz lan youngblood wi ldhai red ángel poet one of a spa w n of w i l d poets i n the image of Al ien Ginsberg wander ing the wilds of America *You Rimbauds of another b r e a t h ' sang K u s h and wandered off w i t h his o w n part icular paranoias maddened l ike most poets for one mad reason or another i n the unmade bed of the w o r l d Sons of W h i t m a n i n your 'publ ic sol i tude' bound by blood-duende 'President of your o w n body Amer ica ' Take i t back f r o m those who have maddened y o u back f r o m those w h o stole i t and steal i t dai ly T h e subjective must take back the w o r l d f r o m the ohjcct ive gorillas & guerrillas of the w o r l d We must re jo in somehow

the animáis i n the fields i n their steady-state m e d i t a t i o n ' Y o u r life is i n your o w n hands s t i l l M a k e i t flower make i t s ing' (so sang m a d K u s h i n Tepotzlan) • < , 'a const i tut ional congress of the b o d y ' • s t i l l to be convened to seizecontrol of the State • • .•• ; • ' ' the subjective state r, ¡ ' i from those w h o have subverted i t ' The arab telephone of the avant-garde S has broken d o w n , i i . A n d I speak to y o u now ! ^ , i > ' f r o m another eountry 1 11 í ' • D o not t u r n away • i n your publ ic solitudes ' I . Ü , y o u poets of other visions , > i • i , : • of the sepárate lonesome visions j -u n t a m e d uncornered visions i '' ;' ^ fierce recalcitrant visions. i- '... •. ., y o u W h i t m a n s of another breath w h i c h is not the too-cool breath of modern poetry w h i c h is not the halitosis of indus t r i a l c iv i l iza t ion Lis ten now Listen again to the song in the blood the dark duende a d a r k sin between the t ickings of c iv i l iza t ion : - •,' '¡ between the lines of its headlines i n the silences between cars Í Í / Í / H : 'I

d r i v e n l ike weapons -'h ' r ' i ; i V " ' .

I n t w o hundred years o f freedom " > i ;! we have invented '!!' the permanent al ienation of the subjective i ' i- ;, almost every t r u l y Creative being , alienated & expatr iated i n his o w n eountry

i n M i d d l e America or San Francisco the death of the dream i n your b i r t h 0 me l t ingpot America 1 speak to you f r o m another eountry another k i n d of h lood- le t t ing land f r o m Tepotz lan the poets' l a n ' L a n d of the L o r d of the D a w n /

Quetzalcoatl "' L a n d of the P lumed Serpent I signal to y o u ' v as A r t a u d signaled . ' th rough the ñames : . I signal t o v o u . • ' ' i over the heads of t h e l a n d the hard heads that stand like menhirs above the land i n every eountry the short-haired hvenas w h o s t i l l rule every th ing , • I signal to y o u f r o m Poets' L a n d y o u poets of the alienated breath i, • ; to take back your land again and the deep sea of the subjective H a v e you heard the sound of the ocean lately the sound by whic h dai ly the stars st i l l are dr iven •••',;•,;:•'}•;' !.,!.•.,,•,,;,• i.

the sound bv whic h n i g h t l y ( the stars retake their sky Th e sea thunders s t i l l to r e m i n d v o u of the thunder in the blood to remind you o f v o u r selves ; T h i n k now o f v o u r self ' ' i ' . as of a dif itant ship T h i n k now of vour beloved of the eyes of your beloved

201

whoever ¡s most beloved he w h o held you hard in the dark or she w h o washed her hair by the water fa l l whoever makes the heart pound the blood pound Lis ten saya the r iver L is ten says the sea W i t h i n you y o u w i t h your prívate visions of another real i ty a sepárate real i ty Lis ten and study the eharts of l i m e Read the sanskrit of ants i n the sand Y o u W h i t m a n s of another breath there is no one else to tel l how the alienated generations have l ived out their expatríate visions here and evervwhere The oíd generations have l ived t h e m out L i v e d out the bobemian m y t h in Greenwieh Villages L i v e d out the l l e m i n g w a y m y t h in The Sun Also Rises at the D o m e in Paris or w i t h the bulls at Pamplona L ived out the l l e n r y M i l l e r m y t h in the Tropics of Paris and the great Greek dream of The Cotossus of Maroussi and the tropic dream of (íauguin I_,ived out the D . I I . Lawrence m y t h i n The Plumed Serpent in México Lake Chápala A n d the M a l c o l m L o w r y m\h Under the Volcano at Cuernavaca A n d then the saga of On the Road and the l íob D v l a n m\h B l o w i n g i n the ind H o w many roads must a m a n walk d o w n

202

H o w m a n y Neal Cassadys on lost ra i l road tracks H o w many replicas of Woody G u t h r i e w i t h cracked guitars H o w m a n v photocopies of longhaired Joan H o w many Ginsberg facsimiles and carbon-copy Keseys s t i l l wandering the streets of America in oíd tennis shoes and backpacks or d r i v i n g beat-up school buses w i t h destination-signs reading ' F u r t h e r ' H o w many Buddhis t Catholics how m a n y cantors chant ing the Great I 'aramita Sutra on the Lower East Side H o w many Whole E a r t h Catalogs lost i n out-houses on N e w México communes H o w many Punk Rockers w a v i n g swastikas Franco is dead b u t so is Picasso C h a p l i n is dead b u l I ' d wear his bowler h a v i n g o u t l i v e d al l our m y t h s b u t his the m y t h of the purc subjective the collective subjective the L i t t l e M a n in each of us w a i t i n g w i t h Char lot or Pozzo On every córner I see t h e m hidden inside their t i g h t clean clothes The i r hats are not derbys they have no canes b u t we know them we have always wai ted w i t h them They t u r n and lu tch their pants and walk away f r o m us down the darkening road i n the great A m e r i r a n n ight

{Tepotzlan ' 7 5 — S « « Francisco''78)

203

T

&D O U

OH .S

O

R E T I R E D B A L L E R I N A S , ^^'f

C E N T R A L P A R K W E S T

R , e t i r e ( l ba l ler inas o n w i n t e r a f temoons w a l k i n g t h e i r dogs

i n C e n t r a l P a r k West (or t h e i r cats o n leashes—

the cats themselves oíd h i g h w i r e art ists) T h e bal ler inas

leap a n d p i r o u e t t e t h r o u g h C o l u m b u s Ci rc le

w h i l e winos on p a r k benehes ( l a i d back l i k e d r u n k e n Goudonovs)

hear the taxis t r u m p e t together l i k e horsemen of the apocalypse

i n the dusk of the gods I t is the final w i t c h i n g h o u r

w h e n swains are f u l l of swan songs A n d a l l r e t u r n t h r o u g h the d a r k dusk

to t h e i r b r i g h t eells i n glass highrises

or sit d o w n to oval cigarettes and cakes i n the Russian Tea R o o m

o r e l i m b f o u r flights to back rooms i n Westside brownstones

where faded p l a y b i l l photos . f a l l pec i ing f r o m t h e i r franies

l i k e last year's a u t u m n leaves

207

«te.

M O D E R N P O E T R Y I S P R O S E

( B U T I T I S S A Y I N G P L E N T Y )

I a m t h i m i b i n g t h r o i i f i h a great anthology of contemporary poet ry , and i t w o u l d seem t h a t " t h e voice t h a t is great w i t h i n U8" sounds w i t h i n us most ly i n a prose voice, a lbe i t i n the t y p o g r a p h y of poetry . W h i c h is n o t to say i t is prosaie or has no depths, w h i c h is not to say i t is dead o r d y i n g , or n o t love ly or n o t b e a u t i f u l or not w e l l w r i t t e n o r not w i t t y and brave. I t is very m u c h al ive , very w e l l w r i t t e n , love ly , l i v e l y prose—prose t h a t stands w i t h o u t the crutches of p i m c t u a t i o n , prose whose syntax is so clear i t can be w r i t t e n a l l over the page, i n open forms and open fields, and s t i l l be very clear, very dear prose. A n d i n the t y p o g r a p h y of p o e t r y , the poetic and the prosaie in te l l ec t masquerade i n each other's clothes.

W a l k i n g t h r o u g h our prose b u i l d i n g s i n the 21st century , one may l o o k baek and wonder at this strange age w h i c h a l lowed poetry to w a l k i n ])rose r h y t h m s and s t i l l eal led i t poetry . M o d e r n poetry is prose because i t sounds as subdued as any c i ty m a n or w o m a n whose l i f e forcé is submerged i n u r b a n l i f e . M o d e r n poetry is prose because i t has no duende, d a r k s p i r i t of ear th and b l o o d , no soul of d a r k song, no pas­sion musiek . L i k e m o d e r n sculpture , i t loves the concrete. L i k e m i n i m a l ar t , i t m i n i m i z e s e m o t i o n i n favor of under-stated i r o n y and i n q j l i e d in tens i ty . As such i t is the perfect poetry f o r technocrat ie m a n . B u t h o w of ten does th i s poetry rise above the mean sea level of his s p a r k l i n g p l a i n ? Ezra P o u n d once decanted his opinión t h a t o n l y i n t imes of deca-dence does poetry sepárate i t se l f f r o m nmsic . A n d this is the way the w o r l d ends, n o t w i t h a song b u t a w h i m p e r .

E i g h t y or n i ne ty years ago, w h e n a l l the machines began to h u m , almost (as i t seemed) i n unisón, the speech o f m a n cer ta in ly began to be affected by the absolute staccato of machines. A n d c i ty j>oetry cer ta in ly eehoed i t . W h i t m a n was

208

a ho ldover , s inging the song of h imse l f . A n d Sandburg a ho ldover , s inging his sagas. A n d Vache l L indsay a ho ldover , d r u m m i n g his chants. A n d la ter there was Wal lace Stevens w i t h his h a r m o n i o u s " f i c t i v e m u s i c . " A n d there was Langston Hughes. A n d A l i e n Ginsberg, c h a n t i n g his mantras , s ing ing B lake . T h e r e s t i l l are otl iers everywhere , jazz i>oets and poetic s t rummers and wailers i n the streets of the w o r l d , m a k i n g poetry o u t of the urgent insurgent N o w , of the i m -media te ins tant self, the incarnate carnal self {as D . H . Lawrence cal led i t l .

B u t m u c h poetry was caught u p i n t h e l ino lype ' s h o t s lug and now i n the so cold type of I B M . N o song among the typists , no song i n o u r concrete archi tec ture , o u r concrete music . A n d the n ight ingales may s t i l l be s inging near t h e Convent of the Sacred H e a r t , b u t we can h a r d l y hear t h e m i n the c i ty waste lands of T . S. E l i o t , ñor i n bis Four Quartets ( w h i c h can't be p l a y e d o n any i n s t r u m e n t and yet is t h e most b e a u t i f u l prose of o u r t i m e ) . Ñor i n the prose wastes of Ezra Pound's Cantos w h i c h aren' t canti because they can't be sung b y anyone. Ñor i n the p a n g o l i n prose of M a r i a n n e M o o r e ( w h o ealled h e r w r i t i n g poetry f o r lack of a n y t h i n g bet ter to cal i i t ) . Ñor i n the great prose b l a n k verse of K a r l Shapiro's Essay on Rime, ñor i n the i n n e r c i ty speech o f W i l l i a m Carlos W i l l i a m s , i n the fíat-out speech of his Paterson. A l l of w h i c h is applauded b y poetry professors and poetry reviewers i n a l l the best places, none of w h o m w i l l c o m m i t the o r i g i n a l s in of saying some poet's p o e t r y is prose i n the t y p o g r a p h y of p o e t r y — j u s t as the poet's f r i ends w i l l never t e l l h i m , j u s t as the poet's editors w i l l never say i t — t h e dumhest conspiracy of silence i n the h i s t o r y of letters.

Most m o d e r n poetry is poetic prose b u t i t is saying p l e n t y , b y i ts o w n example , about w h a t death of t h e s p i r i t o u r tech­nocrat ie c i v i l i z a t i o n may be dea l ing us, enmeshed i n machines and macho nat ional isms, w h i l e we continué l o n g i n g f o r the n i g h t i n g a l e among the pines of Respighi . I t is the b i r d sing­i n g that makes us h a p p y .

209

E N D L E S S L I F E

E n d i e s s t h e s p l e n d i d l i f e of the w o r l d Endiess its lovely l i v i n g and b r e a t h i n g its lovely sentient beings seeing and b e a r i n g fee l ing and t h i n k i n g l a u g h i n g and danc ing s ighing and c r y i n g t h r o u g h endiess afternoons endiess nights of love and ecstasy j o y and despair d r i n k i n g and d o p i n g t a l k i n g and s inging i n endiess Amsterdams of existence w i t h endiess l i v e l y conversations over endiess cups of coffee i n l i t e r a r y cafes o n r a i n y morn ings Endiess street movies passing i n cars and trams of desire on the endiess tracks of l i g h t A n d endiess l o n g h a i r danc ing to airless p u n k r o c k and a i rhead disco t h r o u g h M i l k y W a y m i d n i g h t s to the Paradisos of d a w n t a l k i n g and s m o k i n g and t h i n k i n g of e v e r y t h i n g endiess at n i g h t i n the w h i t e of n i g h t the l i g h t of n i g h t A h yes o h yes the endiess l i v i n g and l o v i n g h a t i n g and l o v i n g kissing and k i l l i n g Endiess the t i c k i n g b r e a t h i n g b r e e d i n g meat-wheel of l i f e t u r n i n g on and on t h r o u g h t i m e ; Endiess l i f e and endiess death endiess a i r and endiess b r e a t h Endiess w o r l d s w i t h o u t end of days i n a u t u m n capitals t h e i r avenues of leaves ablaze

210

Endiess dreams and sleep u n r a v e l l i n g the k n i t t e d sleeves o f care the l a b y r i n t h s of t h o u g h t the labyréves of love the coils of desire and l o n g i n g m y r i a d endgames of the unnameable Endiess the heavens on fire endiess universe spun o u t W o r l d u p o n a m u s l i r o o m p y r e Endiess the fire t h a t hreathes i n us t a t t o o d fire-eaters danc ing i n plazas s w a l l o w i n g flaming gasoline a i r Brave the beat ing hear t of f l a m i n g l i f e its bea t ing and pulsings and flame-outs Endiess the open fields of the senses the smel l of lust and love t h e c a l l i n g and c a l l i n g of cats i n heat t h e i r scent of must of m u s k N o end to the sound of the m a k i n g of love to the sound of bed springs c reak ing to the m o a n of lovers m a k i n g i t h e a r d t h r o u g h the w a l l at n i g h t N o end to t h e i r groans of ecstasy moans of the last lost c l i m a x the sound of j u k e b o x j u m p i n g > the flow of jass and gyzm j i v e d i n Paradiso A n d t h e n the endiess at tempts to escape the nausee of Sartre the b a l d h i l l s of b u r n e d o u t sensation joie de vivre i n despair boatloada of e n l i g h t e n m e n t ships of merde afloat by Charon's m o a t greeds hysterias paranoias p o l l u t i o n s and perversions Endiess Vhomme revolté

i n the anonymous face of death i n the tracks of the monster state Endiess his anarchist visions endiess his a l i e n a t i o n endiess his a l ienated p o e t r y gadfly of the state Bearer of Eros Endiess the sound of this l i f e of m a n on ear th his endiess r a d i o broadcasts and t v transmissions newspajiers r o l l i n g off endiess ro l l s o n r o t a r y presses the flow of his words and images o n endiess t y p e w r i t e r r ibbons and tapes , :, ' > a u t o m a t i r w r i t i n g s and scrawlings endiess poe/ncs í/i'ctéí b y the u n k n o w n Endiess the c a l l i n g o n telephones to ends o f e a r t h the w a i t i n g of lovers o n stat ion p l a t f o r m s t h e c r y i n g of b i r d s on h i l l s and roof tops ' , the cawing and cawing of crows i n the sky , the m y r i a d c h u r m i n g of crickets :i < the r u n n i n g seas the c r y i n g waters j vV , i i r i s i n g and f a l l i n g o n f a r shingles > , the l a p p i n g of tides ./ i : ' i n the Ides of a u t u m n . > , . • , salt kiss of c reat ion - ; !• ' i N o end to the sea bells t o l l i n g A ,, ' ; - i beyond the danis and dykes of h f e , and t h e c a l l i n g and c a l l i n g of bídls i ' i n e m p t y churclies and towers of t i m e - ' ,.,. ' N o end to the calamitous e n u n c i a t i o n of h a i r y h o l y m a n : , i ' i ' i Endiess the e v e r - u n w i n d i n g , , t , w a t c h s p r i n g hear t of the w o r l d i > > s h i m m e r i n g i n t i m e • ' s h i n i n g t h r o u g h space Endiess the tourist-boats t h r o u g h i t bateaux mouches i n endiess canals ': ^ ,!

212

m i l l i o n s of w i n d o w s aflame i n sunset the C i t y burns w i t h le f tover l i g h t the r e d l i g h t distriets r o c k and glow w i t h endiess p o r n and neón cocks and v ibra tors v i b r a t i n g endlessly ¡n l o n e l y topf loor rooms of l ean in g houses Endiess the m u n c h i n g o n the meat-sandwiches of lus t ' the j u i e y steaks of love ' • < endiess dreams and orgasms f e r t i l i t y r i tes and rites of passage and flights of f c r t i l e b i rds over roof tops and the d r o p j i i n g of eggs i n nests and wombs t h e temj i ts and attempts of the flesh i n f u r n i s h e d rooms of love ' where sings the s t r icken dove N o end to the b i r t h i n g of babies where love or lust has l a i n no end to the sweet b i r t h of consciousness no end to the b i t t e r deaths of i t i n v a i n N o end no end to the w i t h e r i n g of f u r and f r u i t and flesh so passing f a i r and the neón m e r m a i d s s ing ing each to each somewhere : ; Endiess the s l ight var ia t ions ' of the u t t e r l y f a m i l i a r ' the fires of y o u t h t h e embers of age the rage of t h e poet b o r n again N o end no end to any and a l l c reat ion i n the m u t e dance of molecules A l l is t r a n s m u t e d A l l is m u t e d and a l l cries out again again Endiess the w a i t i n g f o r God and Godot the absurd aetions absurd plans and plays d i l emm as a n d delays

213

A b s u r d and w a i t i n g w i t h o u t ac t io n f o r the w i t h e r i n g away of war and the w i t h e r i n g away of the state Insane the w a i t i n g w i t h o u t ac t ion f o r the insane e n d i n g ! Endiess the wars of good and e v i l the fíips of fate the t r i p s of hate endiess nukes and faults a l l fa i l ing-safe i n endiess cha in reactions of the f i n a l flash w h i l c the W h i t e Bicycles of protest s t i l l s lowly c irc le r o u n d i t F o r there w i l l be an end to the dogfaced gods i n w i n g t i p shoes i n Gucc i sl ippers i n Texas boots and t i n hats i n bunkers pressing buttons F o r there is no end to the h o p e f u l choices s t i l l to be chosen the d a r k m i n d s l i g h t e d the paths of g l o r y the green giants of chance the fish-hooks of hope i n the sloughs of despor the h i l l s i n the distance the h i r d s i n t h e hush h i d d e n streams of l i g h t and u n h e a r d melodies sessions of sweet s i lent t h o u g h t stately pleasure domes decreed and the h a p p y deaths of the hear t every day the cocks of clay the feet i n r u n n i n g shoes u p o n t h e q u a i A n d there is no end to the doors of percept ion s t i l l to be opened and the jet-streams of l i g h t i n the u p p e r a i r of the s p i r i t of m a n i n the outer space inside us i n the Amsterdams of y i n & yang

214

Endiess rubaiyats and endiess b e a t i t u d endiess shangri-las endiess nirvanas sutras a n d mantras satoris and scnsaras B o d h i r a m a s and Boddhisatvas karmas arui karmapas ! Endiess s inging Shivas danc ing o n the s m o k i n g wombs of ecstasy! S h i n i n g ! Transcendent ! i n t o the crystal n i g h t of t i m e i n the endiess silence of the soul i n i h e l o n g l o u d tale of m a n i n h is endiess sound and f u r y s i g n i f y i n g e v e r y t h i n g w i t h his endiess h a l l u c i n a t i o n s adorat ions unnihilatíons i l l i u n i n a t i o n s erections and e x h i b i t i o n s fascismo and machis ino circuses of the soul astray n ier rygorounds of the i n i a g i n a t i o n coney is land of the mindless endiess p o c n i dic'tated b y the uncol lec ted voice of the colle<'tive unconscious b lear u p o n the tracks of t i m e !

I n the last days of A l e x a n d r i a T h e day before W a t e r l o o T h e danc ing continúes T h e r e is a soimd of revelry by n i g h t

Amsterdam, July 1980

[ n d e x o f T i l l e s a n d F i r s t L i n e s

. : , )•

«fe,

I N D E X

A Meeting of Eyes in México, 150 A Phoenix at Fifty, 105 A poet is born, 110 A Sweet Flying Dream, 182 Above Taos now, 107 Adieu Á Charlot, 199 Alienation: Two Bees, 144 An Elegy on the Death of Kenneth

Patchen, 110 An Elegy to Dispel Gloom, 197 An Imaginary Happening, London,

113 And I heard the learned astrono-

mer, 146 And She 'Like a Young Year . . .',

12 And she 'like a young year . .

12 And the Arabs Asked Terrible

Questions . . , , 5 And the Arabs asked terrible ques­

tions, 5 Assassination Raga, 81 At new age fifty, 105 At the stoplight waiting for the

light, 184 Autobiography, 47 Away above a Harborjul . . . , 3 Away above a harborful, 3

Baseball Canto, 125 By the greal river Deschutes, 164

Caw Caw Caw, 179 Come Lie with Me and Be My

Love, 72 Come lie wilh me and be my love,

72 Constantly Risking Absurdity . . . ,

43

Constantly risking absurdity and death, 43

Deep Chess. 148 Director of Alienation, 133 Dog, 56 Dove sta amore . . . , 46 Dove sta amore, 46

Eight People on a Golf Course and One Bird of Freedom Flying over, 154

Endiess Life, 210 Endiess the splendid life of the

world, 210

For All I Know Maybe She Was llappier, 9

For all I know maybe she was hap­píer, 9

For years the oíd Italians have been dying, 175

Fortune . . . , 10 Fortune has its cookies to give out,

10

Heaven . . . , 17 Heaven was only half as far ihat

night, 17 Hidden Door, 65 Il iddrn door iliuid secret, 65 Home Home Home, 189 Horses at Down, 167 Ilumankintl ran indeed bear, 103

I am leading a quiet life, 47 / Am Waiting. 59 1 am waiting for my case to come

up, 59

I came upon them in the cabin—, 144

I didn*t get much sleep last night, 69

I had just ordered a físhplate at the counter when, 100

/ Have Not Lain tvilh Beauty All My Life . . . . 39

I have not lain wilh beauty all my life, 39

I laugh to hear me say what I am saying, 128

I put on the diving mask and went down, 168

I walked into a logo in the Teatro Melisso, 117

I was conceived in the summer of Nineteen Eighteen, 97

In a dream wilhin a dream I dreamt a dream, 170

In a Time of Revolution For In-manee, 100

In Golden Gate Park that Day . . . . 36

In Golden Gate Park that day, 36 In Goya's Greatest Scenes We

Seem to See . . . , 27 In Goya's greatest scenes we seem

to see, 27 In Hintertime Praxiteles . . . , 4 In Hintertime Praxiteles, 4 In lili" lower lefi-hand córner, 113 Into the Deeper Pools . . . , 168 It takes a fast car, 139 !t Was a Face which Darkness

Could Kill . . . , 13 It was a face which darkness could

k i l l , 13

Knock knock on wooden Huí;sia!, 119

Laughing and Crying, 127 Let U S not sit upon the ground, 197 Life itself like championship chess,

148 Looking in the mirrors at Macy's,

133 Lost Parents, 139

Midnight Moscow Airport, 88 Modern Poetry Is Prose iBut It is

Saying Plenty), 208 Moscow in the Wilderness, Segovia

¡n the Snntv, 88

Night Light, 130 Night, night, 130 Night's black mirror is broken, 147 Not Like Dante . . . . 41 Not like Dante, 41 '

Olbers Paradox, 146 On the coast of Chile where

Neruda lived, 152 On the green riverbank, 163 On the Transsiberian, 119 One grand boulevard with trees,

120

People Getting Divoreed, 141 People getting divoreed, 141 Poets. come out of your closets, 156 Populist Manifestó, 156 Pound at Spoleto, 117

Reading Apollinaire hy the Rogue River, 165

Reading Apollinaire here, 165 Reading Yeats I Do Not

Think . . . , 21 Reading Yeats I do not think of

Ireland, 21 Recipe for Happiness in Khabarov-

sy or Anypluce, 120 Retired Ballerinas, Central Park

W^est, 207 Retired ballerinas on winter after­

noons, 207 Rough Song of Animáis Dying, 170

Salute, 121 San José Symphony Reception, 193 Sarolla's Women in their Picture

Hats . . . , 7 Sarolla's women in their Picture

hats, 7 See It Was Like This When . . . ,

38

See it was like this when, 38 Short Story on a Painting of Gustan

Klimt, 142 Sometime During Eternity . . . ,

31 Sometime during eternity some

guys show up, 31 Sons of Whilnian. sons of Poe, 199 Stone Reality Meditation, 103 Suddenly, 150 Siinrise. Bolinas, 104 Sweet and Various the Wood­

lark . . . . 23 Sweet and various the woodlark,

23

Thal Fellow on the Boattrain Who Insisted . . . , 16

That fellow on the boattrain who insisted, 16

The bald man in plaid playing ihc harpsichord. 193

The Billboard Painters, 184 'The curious upward stumbting

motion . . 114 The dog trots freely in the street,

56 The General Song of Humanity,

152 The Greal Chinese Dragón, 73 The great Chinese dragón which is

the greatest dragón . . . , 73 The horses the horses the wild

horses at dawn, 167 The Man Who Rodé Away, 107 The Oíd Italians Dying, 175 The Oíd Sailors, 163 The Pennycandyatore beyond the

45 The pennycandystore beyond the

E l , 45 The phoenix flies higher & higher,

154 The Poet's Eye Ohscenely

Seeing . . . , 29 The poet's eye ohscenely seeing, 29 The Sea and Ourselves at Cape

Ann, 179

The two white-overalled white-capped, 184

The Worid Is a Beautiful Place . . . . 18

The world ii- a licauliful place, 18 Tlicre's a breathless hush on the

freeway tonight, 137 They are kneeling upright on a

flowered hed, 142 They Were Putling up the

Statue . . . . 33 They were putling up the statue, 33 Thiid Worhl Calling. 123 This little heart that rememhers,

104 This loud mnrning, 123 Thoughts to a Concertó of Tele-

mana, 114 Tn rvery animal who eats or shoots

his own kind, 121 Toe Toe: A Couple Observed, 116 Today T i l write white on while,

194 True C.onfessional, 97 Tune in lo a raga, 81 Tiro Seavengers in a Truck, Two

Beautiful People in a Mercedes, 184

Underwear, 69 Upon Reflection, 147

Watching baseball, 124 We were two naked, 182 What Could She Say to the Fan-

tastic Foolybear . . . . 35 What could she say to the fanlastic

foolybear, 35 Where are they going, 189 White on White, 194 Wild Dreams of a New Beginning,

137 Wild Life Cameo, Early Morn, 164 With Bells for Hooves in Sounding

Streets . . . . 14 Wilh bells for hooves in sounding

streets, 14 Without closing its wings, 116

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M ) P 4 ( . 2 E l a i n c K t a f , The Pnncess of 72nd Si. N D P 4 9 4 P. l .a l , Greal Sanskni Pkv.\. N D P I 4 2 . L . a u t r c a m o n l , Maldoror. N n P 2 0 7 . I r v i n g l . a y t o n , Selected Poems. N D P 4 3 1 . D e n i s e l . e v e r i o v , CoUected Harlier. N D P 4 7 5 .

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y. M i s h i m a , Con/esiions of a Mask N D P 2 5 3 . Dealh in Mid\ummer \ D P 2 I 5

E u g e n i o M o n i a l c . Ii ¡ieifnds* N D P S 0 7 . •VcH Pi^ms. N Ü P 4 I 0 Selected Poems.* N D P t 9 3 .

V l a d i m i r N a b o k o v . .\ikolai Oogol N D P 7 8 Laughter in the Park. N n P 4 7 0 . The Real Life of Sebastian Knighi. \.

P. N e r u d a , The Capiam's Ierres.' NDP345. Re.tidence on Earth ' N D P 3 4 0

A V H Directions in Prose A A f C f r v ( A n t h o l o g y ) . A v a i l a b l e f r o m « 1 7 f o r w a r d . 1142. F a l l 1981.

R o b e r t N i c h o l s , Arrivai N D P 4 , 1 7 . txite N D P 4 K 5 . Garh Cin- N I ) P 4 S 0 Hardillsin Sawna. N D P 4 T 0 ,

C h a r l e s O h o n . Selecied Wríiinus. N n P 2 3 l . T o b y O I s o n . 7Jjf Ufe ol Jesús. N n p 4 l 7 . ( i e o r g e O p p e n , CoUected Poems. NI)P4IK. WJ l f rcd O w e n , CoUected Peoms. N I ) P 2 I 0 . N i c a n o r P a r r a , Emergencv Poems.* NDP333.

Poems and Antipoems.* N D P 2 4 2 . B o r i í P a i t e r n a k , Conduct. N D P 7 7 . K e n i K l h P a t c h e n . Aflame and Afun. N D P 2 9 2 .

Becau.ie li 1$ NDP83. But Even Oo. N D P 2 6 5 Collecied Poems. N D P 2 8 4 , DouMeheader. NDP211. Hallelujah An\wa\: N D P 2 1 9 , In Quesi of Candlelighters. N D P 3 3 4 . Memoirs of a Shy Porniigrapher. Nr)P205 Selected Poems. NDPtftO.

O c t a v i o PB7. Configuraiions.* NDP303. A Drafl of Shadow.s.'' N n P 4 K 9 , Eagle or Sun''* N D P 4 2 2 . iMrly Poems* N D P 3 5 4 ,

Plays for a Sew Theater. ( A n l h . ) N D P 2 I 6 . J A P o r t e r . Eelgra.ís. N D P 4 3 8 E í T » P o u n d . ABC of Reading N D P 8 9

Classic \oh Jheaire of Japan. N D P 7 9 . Confucius N D P 2 S 5 . Confuciu.y lo Cummings. ( A n l h . ) N D P I 2 6 , Gaudier Brzeska. N D P 3 7 2 . Cuide to Kulchur. N D P 2 5 7 . Liierary Ejsays. N D P 2 S 0 . üive Poems of Ancieni Egvpl. N D P I 7 8 . Pound/Jovce N D P 2 9 f i . Selected Cantos. NDP304. Selected Uiiers 1907-1941 N D P . 1 I 7 , Selected Poems. N D P 6 6 . The Spirit of Romance. N n P 2 6 * Translaiions.* ( E n l a r g e d E d i i i o n ) N D P I 4 5 .

J a m e s P u r d y . Children Is All N D P 3 2 7 . R a y m o n d Q u e n c a u . The Bark Tree N D P . 1 I 4 .

Etercises m Slvíe. N D P 5 I 3 . The Sunday of Ufe. N D P 4 3 3 . We Always Treal Women Ton Well NDP515.

M a r y de R a c h e w i U / . E:ra Pound. N I > P 4 Ü 5 . M. R a n d a l l . Pan of ihe Soiuiion. N D P 3 S 0 . J o h n C r o w c R a n s o m . Beating the Bushes.

N D P 3 2 4 . R a j a R a o , Kanihapura. N D P 2 2 4 . H e t b e n R e a d , TTif Green Child. N D P 2 0 g . P R e v e r d y . Selected Poems.' N D P 3 4 6 . K e n n e t h R e x r o t h . Collecied Longer Poems.

N I ) P J 0 9 CoUected Shorier Poems. N D P 2 4 3 . The Morning Siar. N D P 4 9 0 . New Poems. N D P 3 8 3 . m More Poems from the Chinese. NDP308. IIIO More Poems from ihe Japanese. N D P 4 2 0 . mi Poems from ihe Chinese. NDP192. 100 Poems from ihe Japanese* N D P I 4 7 .

R a i n c r M a r i a R i l k e . Poems from The Book of Hours. N D P 4 0 B Possihilitv of Being. ( P o e m s ) . N D P 4 3 6 . H'here Silence Reigns. ( P r o s e ) . N D P 4 M

A r t h u r R i m b a u d , llluminations.' N I ) P 5 6 Sea.u'n m Hell & Drunken Boai * M ) P 9 7 .

E d o u a r d R o d i t i . Delights of Turkey. N D P 4 4 5 . S e l d e n R o d m a n , Tongues of fallen Angeis.

N D P 3 7 3 . J c r o m c R o t h e n b e r g , Foland/1931. N D P 3 7 9 .

Pre-Faies. N D P 5 I I , Séneca Journal. N D P 4 4 8 . Vienna Blood. N D P 4 9 8 .

S a i g y o , * Mirror for ihe Moon. N I J P 4 6 S . S a i k a k u I h a r a . The Ufe of an Amorous

Woman. N D P 2 7 0 . St , J o h n of the C r o s s . P o í m i . ' N D P 3 4 I . J e a t i - Pau l S a r t r e . Baudelaire. N D P 2 3 3 .

Sausea N D P 8 2 The Wall (Intimacy). N D P 2 7 2 .

D t i m o r e S c h w a r l / , Selecied Poems. N D P 2 4 1 . In Dreams Begin Responsihihiies. N D P 4 S 4 .

K a / u k o S h i r a i s h i , Seaons of Sacred Lust. NnP4S3

S i e v i e S m i l h . Selected Poems. N D P I 5 9 . C ia ry S n y d c r . The Back Countrv. N I > P 2 4 9 .

tarih House Hold. N D P 2 Í . 7 . Mvths and Tesis. N D P 4 5 7 The Real Work. N D P 4 W . Regardmg Wave N D P 3 0 6 Turile Island. N D P 3 8 1 .

E n i d S t a r k i e , Rimhaud. N D P 2 S 4 . R o b e n S i e i n e r . Bathers. N D P 4 9 5 S t e n d h a l . T í i r Telegraph. N D P I O S . J u l e s S u p e r v i e n e , Selected Writings.* N D P 2 0 9 . W, S u t l o n . American Free Verse. N D P 3 5 I . N a t h a n i e l T a r n , Lyrics . . . Bride of God. N D P 3 9 I l í y l a n T h o m a s , Adveniures in ihe Skin Traite.

N D P I 8 3 . A Child's Christmas in Wales. N D P I S I , Collecied Poems 1934-1952. N I ) P 3 I 6 , The Doctor and ihe Devils. N D P 2 9 7 , Poriraii of ihe Ariisi as a Young Dog.

N D P S I Quile Earli One Morning. N D P 9 0 . í nder Milk Wood N D P 7 3 ,

L i o n e l T r L i l i ng . E M Fonter. N D P I 8 9 . M a r t i n T u r n e l l . An of French Fiction. N D P 2 S I ,

Baudelaire. N D P 3 . 1 6 . «1.1? ofthe French Novel. N I ) P 4 7 4 .

P a u l V a l é r y , Selected Writings.* N D P I 8 4 . P. V a n O s t a i j e n , Feasis of Fear & Agony.

N I ) P 4 I 1 , E l l o V i i t o r i n i . A i'iitorini Omnibus. N D P 3 6 6 ,

Women of Messina. N D P 3 6 5 . V e r n o n W a t k i n s , Selecied Poems N D P 2 2 I . N a t h a n a e l W e s l . Miss Umehheans &

Doy ofthe Uicusi. N D P 1 2 S . J . W i l l i a m s , .An Ear in Banram's Tree N D P 3 3 5 . T e n n c s s e e W i l l i a m s , Camino Real, N D P 3 0 I .

C o i on a Mol Tin Roof N D P 3 9 8 . Dragón Couniry. N D P 2 8 7 The Gla.ss Menagerie. N D P 2 I 8 . Hard Candv. N D P 2 2 5 . In Ihe Winter of Cities. N D P I Í 4 . A [jively Sunday for Creve Coeur. N D P 4 9 7 . One Arm & Other Stories. N D P 2 3 7 . A Sireetcar Named Desire. N D P S O l . Sweet Birdof Youlh. N D P 4 0 9 . TwenivSe^-en Wagons Full of Collón. N D P 2 I 7 . Tno-Characler Play. N D P 4 g 3 , Vieuf Carre. N D P 4 8 2 , Where I Live. S D P 4 6 8

W i l l i a m C a r l o s W i l l i a m s . TTif Auiobiographv. N D P 2 2 3 . The Build^up. N D P 2 2 3 . j The Farmers' Daughiers. N [ ) P I 0 6 . | / Wanied lo Wriie a Poem. N D P 4 6 9 . n Imaginaiions. N D P 3 2 9 . In the American Grain. N D P 5 3 . In the .Money. N U P 2 4 0 , ifany lji\-e.v N Ü P I 9 1 , Paterson. C o m p l e t e . N D P I 5 2 . Pictures form Brueghel. N D P I 18. The Selected Estays. N D P 2 7 3 . Selected Poems. Ñ D P I 3 1 . . . A Voyage to Pagany. N D P 3 0 7 . White Mulé. N D P 2 2 6 . W C. Williams Reader. N D P 2 8 2 .

Y v o r W i n i e r s , £, A. Rohinson N r ) P 3 2 6 . W i s d o m B o o k s : Ancieni Egvpt\ans, N D P 4 6 7 ,

£iir/i ' Buddhists. N D P 4 4 4 ; English Mv.stics. N n P 4 6 6 ; Eore.ii ( H i n d ú ) . N D P 4 I 4 ; Jewish Mysiicy N D P 4 2 3 ; Spanish Mysiics. N D P 4 4 2 ; Si. Francis. N D P 4 7 7 ; Sufi. N Í ) P 4 2 4 ; Taoisis. N D P S 0 9 ; Wisdom ofthe Deseri. N D P 2 9 5 ; ¿en Master.:/. N D P 4 1 5 ,

For complete listing requesl complete catalog from New Directions, 80 Eighth Avenue, New York lOOll * B i l lngui l