“This is not a time to be dismayed, this is punk rock time. This is what Joe Strummer trained you for.” Henry Rollins
the little koan, placed
strategically for a moment’s foot fall
a crumbling brick to polish, a hand
clapping in a forest of downed trees
that no one heard, dig your heels
in the puzzle of a rice paper barrack
you can’t stay here, just charge
your eyes for a few thoughts
then rage on, the rage your
mother’s egg knew, the rage
of your face before your parents
were born, the rage circles
the revolution drain
the mystery rages on
like the mosquito
that bit Jesus, the blood
buzzing amok, everlasting, breaking
rocks in the hot sun / I fought the law
and the law won, rage, chew
through the chains, think not
that I am come to destroy the law
or the prophets: I am not come to
destroy, but to fulfil, at least for now
until all Buddhas are destroyed
and new koans emerge: a bullet
flying through the drywall
screams for justice, but no one
heard it, did it scream or collapse
like a lung
only Joe Strummer knows
your next step
I love what you do with words and concepts – only you always leave me feeling that any comment I could make would be pathetically inadequate.
ReplyDeletePowerful. The last three stanzas hit me particularly hard. I can't stop thinking of the current situation with the Breonna Taylor case, how bullets ripped through her life... but didn't seem to have made any sound for justice.
ReplyDeleteI love, love how you used Joe Strummer. One of my all time favorites. Johnny Appleseed ranks #1.
ReplyDeleteMusic and musicians have led the way in rebellion for a long time. I like the theme of your poem using musicians and rebellion.
ReplyDelete"Chew through the chains" damn! that gave me goosebumps. So much power!
ReplyDeleteA chain gang is the most unfulfilled in its protests. One is expected to follow. Breaking stones is the easiest to force untold sufferings without any specific targets to achieve.
ReplyDeleteHank