Sunday, May 26, 2013

Reading Lawrence F.


In 2012, Lawrence Ferlinghetti published "Time of Useful Consciousness" which is a remarkable tour de force. Yes, it owes homage to Allen Ginsberg and Ed Sanders (and Walt Whitman and Matthew Arnold and a few others) but this quick history of America adapts what's in the air artfully, like a blues. It might be a career capper, but, on the other hand, 90-plus-year-old L.F. may keep on keeping on. Here on Memorial Day 2013 I read a small portion. It follows a riff on Jack Powers, a major Boston poet and nice poet mentor and guy in the last half of the 20th century (and somewhat thereafter). Ferlingetti resets some earlier poems in new context, but it all flows. He riffs on "Jacks" quite a bit, which is okay with me. - Jack Vaughan

Saturday, May 25, 2013

BEDTIME BLUES

BEDTIME BLUES
by Frank StokesDon't want no jealous-hearted woman makin' up my bed
She'll put something in the mattress, man, make you wish you was dead
She'll give you pains to your body, give you hurtin' all through your head
Now when you lay down at night, call your good friend by name
Now when you lay down at night, call your good friend by name
You don't like my treatment, you sure can make a change
And i looked at the sun and the sun was shinin' warm
And i looked at the sun and the sun was shiny warm
You never miss your good gal 'til you've got the train and gone
And you stood and cried, "What you want me to say to you?"
Hey, stood and cried, "What you want me to say to you?"
"I want you t'think 'bout the things, baby, that me and you used to do."
And then run here, baby, let's try the other hand
Hey, run here, baby, i said, "Let's try th'other hand"
I've had a troubled complaint, God, ever since i been your man
If the blues was whiskey, i'd stay drunk every day
If the blues was whiskey, i'd stay drunk every day
The last time i seen you, tried to make your getaway.
TRANSCRIBED by catherine yronwode (cat@luckymojo.com) 13 May 1998 

Sunday, May 05, 2013

From the Vaults: On a sunny Derby Day










On a sunny Derby Day
Milwaukee
the East Side
up by the pagoda-looking gas station
around 1971
got lost

got lost just
a few blocks from home.

Saw these placed
I had never seen before
the brown faces that
I knew from the buses.

let's see
how's this
going to go?

And kids came out
climbing over rubble
singing "hippies in town"
singing "hippies in town"

me and dave and jim did
a sort of 
cold tremble
seemed like sirens
everywhere in the air
we were over the milwaukee river
and when a car engine would start
it was like a slow explosion
as we found our way

bippity-bop-slop-drop
back to the well-known
main drag
say
east ogden ave

Now
on Mission Hill
with many in their graves
but not the 3 musketters

and there is an old hippie
fellow traveller playing

I'm a Little Mixed Up
Key to the Highway
Cool it Down
First I look at the Purse
Dead Flowers
Im Ready.
-Jack Vaughan

alt version from 2008

Saturday, May 04, 2013

From the vaults - Celtics, 2008


On a bit of a sad one, maybe a little poem from the best Celts days, 2008.

Indelible Cityscape
Walking up the Mission Hill
Past the summer porches
During the 4th quarter
Each TV tuned to the Game 4
Cheers coming out loud
I know we are coming back
See Tall Preston and ask the score
The Celts just moved two points ahead.

For essay on 2008 win.


















Meanwhile, here's my facebook take on last night..2013

Ok it is dirge time for the 1012-13 Celtics and maybe for the era of the Big 3.But like my friend said the comeback was stirring. The last two of three standing – Pierce and Garnett Ray Allen never lost their fit. Who knows what is in store? But Paul and KG deserve a bow. I have never seen two players who wanted to win more, and I have been around a long time. Doc Rivers (Marquette's own) may call it quits too. The hearts of champions will never be buried, and the Knicks will have to go a long way to undo their bits of foolishness. The spirit of Zoot suited Joeseph Wally Walcott is looking for Spike Lee who should not be walking on the court calling travelling in a Pinkie Lee outfit. (Let's go down to Dudley and besmirch his image on the Malcom X mural. )(No, let art be.)Would Jeff Glad to be Here Green not be candidate for comeback of the year?! Bless him! Boston Strong!