this paper is a poem


• Did we fall - Swami X
• Peyote Poem - Stuart Z. Perkoff
• And the day chases us - Suzy Williams
• History Lesson - John Haag
• Listen up - Pano Douvos
• The Later Day Transubstantiation of Blessed Oliver Cromwell - Fast Eddie
• the song of the secret police - Stuart Z. Perkoff
• The Lovers’ Tree - Vessy Mink

Did we fall, were we pushed off or did we jump

Am I am that I am, a soul, a heal or a chump

Is it reality, a dream, a game if so who’s got the trump?

Cleopatra whispered seductively and mischievously
to Caesar “What I love about Marc
and the camels is the hump”

-Swami X

*************

PEYOTE POEM

By Stuart Z. Perkoff

no wonder those bones
white dry in the
limitless
hot space
lie there.

they get to.

***************

AND THE DAY CHASES US

By Suzy Williams

I LIKE IT WHEN I WAKE UP IN MY PINK ILLUSTRATIVE MIS-MATCHED RHINESTONE PAJAMAS AND GET TO TELL MY LOVER MY DREAMS. LAST WEEK, MY SISTER JENNIE TOLD ME IN A DREAM (SHE OFTEN STARS THERE) “DON’T LET’S CHASE THE DAY, LET THE DAY CHASE US.” MY LOVER SAID (IN REAL LIFE) “THAT SOUNDS LIKE A POEM” AND SO I STOP MY BIKE TO PINCH THE EVERGREENS AND DRINK IN THE SHARP SCENT THEY GIVE UP , ON OAKWOOD, IN WINTER.

**************

HISTORY LESSON

By John Haag

That little ape that came down from a tree
and used a stick on his enemy
and called aloud to his family
to show what a great brave ape was he
made followers out of you and me.

That little ape that got caught in the rain
and used some branches to cover his brain
and thought up gods for rain and for tree
to explain away the mystery
made worshippers out of you and me.

That little ape that had more than enough
and didn’t know what to do with the stuff
and instead of handing it out for free
put others to work for a salary
made employees out of you and me.

That little ape that schemed and planned
and put a fence around some land
and told his followers they’d be free
if they fought his next-door enemy
made soldiers out of you and me.

That ape whose stick is his bravery
whose ignorance makes theology
whose avarice makes wage-slavery
and makes a cause for nationality
makes monkeys out of you and me.

****************

Listen up

By Pano Douvos

OK Here’s the drill
we’ll push democratic ideals U.S. the model
provide economic game plan and heavy hustlers
gain double-dip arms profits and world control

Under the dollar-sign banner we march
on the faith-based capitalist crusade
push and squeeze emerging nations
globalize by gobbleizing

men, there’s raw material for the taking
and cheap labor everywhere so move
granted CEOs salaries are somewhat obscene
and workers moan for wage and health gains

soon we will provide them economic relief
plentiful armed services jobs to be had
especially for blacks and browns

so listen up
and re-up

****************

THE LATER DAY TRANSUBSTANTIATION OF BLESSED OLIVER CROMWELL

By Fast Eddie

As I myself was only in the near vicinity
for only the briefest while
and, on the best of my knowledge, no one else
still left physically alive saw it at all
unless they were in Rehnquistedor error, with, I hasten to add, doubting Thomas
for once staunchly on the right side
I must confess my sources
may eventually be remaindered
as extremely difficult to be believed
yet the simple bottom line is

Rough and ready Oliver rode over to Ireland
on a ship
with a rather large contingent of well-armed, chivalrous knights
and their serving men
promptly conquered the whole stupid bloody Irish
who had
nowhere to be found amongst them
not one single lively gun

Left
their eyeballs
to the crows
meanwhile switched all the rents and mortgages
to himself
left
an appropriate number
of dukes, barons and earls
to collect, and collect, and collect

and then, with all his goodly and great business done,
promptly sailed back home to England
looking very optimistically forward
to any and all
newly affordable fun

Hit the upper Thames beaches hard
whereupon an instantaneous quorum of Williams,
Shakespeare, the Conqueror, and the constant

All agreeably declared
Once oh so poor Oliver
To be rich, rich, rich
Rich in benefits, rich in blessings,
Rich in jewels and gold and
Thrones, and crowns and
Mortar, stone and bricks

And calm and cool Blessed Oliver
He said he minded it not
All to his mind merely
A magical little of this,
A touch of pre-ordination,
And a mysterious little of that.

Bow down, pray
Remember the wisdom of staying alive
To see another day
And oh, take that Iraq.

**************

the song of the secret police

By Stuart Z. Perkoff

our times are fast
they’re crowded
we’re crushed
we’re lost

mirrors are broken
i.d. cards torn
faces are stolen
disguises are worn


no order! all chaos!
all turmoil! no peace!
but we can rely on the secret police!

man’s own face repels him
he doesn’t know his name
but he knows that someone
is scoring the game

in the black of the nite
in the uniform terror
wrong is judged! right is right!
this hell is no error

there’s a plan
we can see it
even man
cannot flee it

no order! all chaos!
all turmoil! no peace!
but we can rely on the secret police!

man destroys himself with power
he is desperate, confused
minute by minute, hour by hour
he sees his offerings refused


each failure is another crime he carrys
of millions on millions on millions of crimes
he lies to himself in his stories
but these ARE criminal times

no order! all chaos!
all turmoil! no peace!
but we can rely on the secret police!

***************

The Lovers’ Tree
 
By Vessy Mink

Life is full of beauty...
The way the lights at night turn snowy bushes into Christmas trees
The electric blue Chicago lit up sky.
The way it brightly shines with ancient moon eye.
The same old Christmas movie every year
Time is passing quickly, now is here.
 
And in my family's home is where I sleep
A couple times a year so bitter sweet.
Sacred paths we all have lived a thousand years
Echoes of a love so crisp so far and yet so near.
 
Without love I shall not breathe...
For to take a breath at all is love filled energy.
Not wanting anymore than time can give
I am the night wind billowing.
 
The stream is steadfast, flowing time
A steady rhythm and a fearless climb
Up the highest mountain tops we scale
To be right where we are upon this trail.
 
And the redwoods they are calling me...
To wish upon the shooting stars that fall for thee.
True is the song that sings its melody to sleep
Intertwining wonder, such is the lovers’ tree.

Posted: Wed - January 1, 2003 at 08:46 PM          


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