transformation

poets who are present

not unavailable or distracted,

carve out slices

into bottomless tables

poets who are present

bawl and bellow

not whimper or moan,

fling their innate delight at the misery and torment of the world,

espouse then engage

inhibiting no one

poets who are present

redirect electrons to implode within each pre-determined form,

thus eliminating remote ivory tower pedantic discourse,

thus omitting whimpering and loss,

thus furthering hip pristine street corner sanctuaries

poets who are present

reveal the innocence of unpredictability,

they are whisperers

huddled across porcelain doors swinging

where none are envious of one another,

as these bards continually slip between the raindrops and snowflakes.

and their songs transition into cool water entries

escorted by soft tender winds,

glowing with the warmth of a newly painted room

framed by an unequaled symphony

unfolding into a multicolored masterpiece

millennials past,

these vanguard poets primeval crossing began from lake to flat land

with an elemental misty shiver of

wet from the hair,

and soon after a roundtrip flight to the sun

to shake off earth's dust

to recognize reflection,

this transformation arising just once,

their life's vibrancy forever unmistaken

poets who are present

still walk in broken sandals

to bare feet

to spring grass

to sand grass,

survive to evolve from God's clay pipes,

their smoke no longer conscious of borders,

ridiculing certainties,

cut with skepticism

and poets who are present

manifest a life

of not merely making Poems,

but being Poems,

furthering lives unbounded...

casting off "Absentee Poetry" forevermore

Dec 3, 1977

St. Louis