William Burroughs in Lawrence ,Kansas
Bernard Malamud in Oregon,Leslie Fiedler in Montana
Urban consciousness in a rural context.Strangers in a stranger land.
Import W H Auden and William Faulkner to Missoula
Initiate book clubs,reading circles,have affairs,realize
the essential clash of civilization between urban and bucolic
Ideals are oxygen-to live slow as cows,with a dull pleasantry
denies the clash and cut of cultures in conflict.Aliyah (ascend)if you can-
earth folk are sure of their origins,descendents and destinations.
They are wedded and welded here-country town continuities with no irony.
Temporary purity of nature as easily disturbed as superficial manners
Be Palestinian in Texas.Be black.Be poor or richly arrogant.Be a woman or an unmanly man
Stimulation requires agitation-not acceptance,nor thin veneer smiles
Step out of line/question too much-they know who you are-THE OTHER!
Gadfly Socrates,drink your hemlock.You corrupt the youth in Lamesa,College Station,Waco,Killeen,Temple
And drop that poetry book in the trash on your way out-THANK YOU!
No comments:
Post a Comment