.
Floresta Atlântica, Serra da Graciosa, Caminho do Itupava, Brazil: photo by Angeloleithold, 2009
The church bells seem to sing
.........................an appealing ring
tinnitus is all it is all
the dark invisible workmanship
reconciling the several vexations
miseries lassitudes regrets
no absolutes left to spend
the early sincerities forgot
.........................the end
of defending the indefensible
positions
of missing the forest of kickshaws
for the welcome trees of relativity
when you sit with a nice girl
.........................for two hours
in a dense rainforest
you think it's only two minutes
mere human experience again
.........................but when
you sit on a hot stove
for a minute the gorilla said
to Einstein you think
.........................it's two hours
.........................an appealing ring
tinnitus is all it is all
the dark invisible workmanship
reconciling the several vexations
miseries lassitudes regrets
no absolutes left to spend
the early sincerities forgot
.........................the end
of defending the indefensible
positions
of missing the forest of kickshaws
for the welcome trees of relativity
when you sit with a nice girl
.........................for two hours
in a dense rainforest
you think it's only two minutes
mere human experience again
.........................but when
you sit on a hot stove
for a minute the gorilla said
to Einstein you think
.........................it's two hours
Male Silverback Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla): photo by Raul 654, 16 January 2005
16 comments:
Tom,
when you sit with a nice girl
.........................for two hours
in a dense rainforest
you think it's only two minutes
7.23
light coming into fog against invisible
top of ridge, coyote yowling from field
in foreground, sound of wave in channel
previous field, had that is
masses embedded in it
inserted, a glance at right
hand side, multiplied
grey white of fog against top of ridge,
line of pelicans flapping toward point
Rock 'n Roll is here to stay.
The welcome trees of relativity
grow upside down today
take root
in dreams
where nothing rings false
intense workmanship
very much noticed
but not commented upon
the old cathedral
looks new
glows with water
green in the dark
green praying
green prayers
pears
Tthe pivot of the poem seems to me to be the “tinnitus” line. On one side the Church bells – a simple small pleasure (a misreading), only a line or two. Then, that litany of forgotten goods and remembered hurts, the girl in the rainforest slipping between waking memory and dream.
The relative trees seems too strange a place to hope in. What it is to find pleasure and suffer in time!
After reading "Canyonesque" this seems to follow beautifully. Still in the midst of your Damon Runyon masterpiece (to be followed by Kerouac).
A gorgeous meter still
Runs its subtleties through
My ear, this troublesome measure
Of a lifetime coming ever
Closer to its closure
How much more then
This reader's pleasure
and I asleep within it
till it flees
"no absolutes left" but the poem
all silvery
in back
You know, Wooden Boy, you just provided some great clues to your poems for when I read them next.
I am from the Kickshaw tribe
strange things to eat
collect the junk
of my time
not so distant
past
vague future
where memory
cascades down
into the river
that runs
up and down
my veins
into my green heart
right at
the foot
of things
Tom,
I fear such civilized simplicities are no longer easily absorbed by acculturated meme brained stiffs.
With you on the case, Susan, I can't do anything but give myself away.
Now that we are all baring our naked simple hearts here in the religious purity of the rainforest, perhaps it is time to attribute the noble sentiments re. nice girls, hot stoves and temporal relativity to... not the handsome gorilla but, yes... Albert Einstein!!
Tom,
Yes, Einstein! And so in some time warped way is this --
previous field, had that is
masses embedded in it
inserted, a glance at right
hand side, multiplied
Steve,
Absolutely Gorilla Logic.
a glance at right
hand side, multiplied
at the speed of light
by a hot girl on a nice stove,
QED.
Uh oh, Wooden Boy, that one goes straight to my head. Helium + more.
Ah, and the words -- they live on for at least two lifetimes -- certainly those of the gorilla, but also those unsaid by you or the girl.
I keep coming back to this poem.. Entirely salutory.
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