Ist Reading
(for Kenneth Patchen)
opening ashes scattered darkly
outside inside this winding path,
from these chaotic skies
coming from these lost rivers
no one knew of or could watch burn
he was direct and level
not wanting to be heard round here,
only wishing to climb higher, unmolested
no dimes in his pockets,
no need em (no cover charge),
breath's free and easy,
death's gonna happen anyway-
earth on fire
realizing another Ocean
and all at once his discovery is seen by anyone brave enough to unzip eyelids-
you know, Kenneth,
you were there to help plug freedom in the wall
after the party lights burned out
with everyone standing on their heads
waitin for Godot to come fix it
I could've been, naturally, there as well,
but too impatient to wait
I dove inside a broken doorway
fell onto my knees
whispering soft and low so anyone could hear easy:
“…rush on to local color ways
push aside your subjective hometown streaks…”
“who knows the the way inside to those rains outside?”
“who believes in himself enuf to climb out from his eyes and take a see?”
“where will you take yourself when you can’t pay for the price of admission?”
then someone remarked: “isn't everything free anyway?
so I got back up on my feet and flew away...
once outside,
the trapeze wires were mostly frozen underneath
and the deep birds had all flown north for winter-
they must know the way,
they know the way
1969