Jayne Lyn Stahl

 

for Allen

     for Allen Ginsberg

Saw an angel in the
elevator today   he asked for
you--newspaper said
allen ginsberg dying--
newspapers lie.
a funny little rainbow forms
on microwave   I write this
hoping it reaches
you   take these words
roll them on your tongue
like lifesavers.
a large city you are wide
awake in the body
you have outgrown.
saw an angel in the
elevator   he reminded me how
at sixteen I hung a
poster of you over my bed
to have grandpa moishe
exclaim "nice beard"   how
at the "Y"
you shoved
an apple into
my mouth.
who did this to us
made us mortal
who did this
taught us to lie.
I write from your supermarket
in california
united nations of misfits where fallen
entrepreneurs phenobarb their
way denying pain that is
consciousness while you sleep
with one eye open watching the best
minds of this generation prosaic
as prozac.   who did this--
put savages in thousand dollar suits
and star
spangled gunman
in capitol
who killed the president
and didn't let him know
whose sad gnosis in
hot tub
babylon
a funny little rainbow forms
where you drop
surly articles proposing only
that which is preposterous
marriage of new spirit
in old jeans.
I see you
and your sane death in the cell you
carry around like a worn suitcase
frail and thin.
newspapers lie
now you are in Blake's
garden
rearranging anemones
waltzing with
Whitman
banging death on
Lorca's balcony.
who did this to us
put us in a body
who did this
who turned off the light.

 

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