"strummer" poems
A true story of a chance gathering of strangers in the back room of a Gelato Parlor *** restaurant, two years ago, in a little village near the bay, on a land surrounded by vineyards. Come visit.
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Gelato Nation
There is a place,
location secret,
mine to keep,
mine with which
you to tease,
make you envious,
a back room 'office'
jealous guarded
by a barkeep,
whose chosen invites sweeps
you into a reality that is
what you will it to be.
But nota bene, note well,
remembrances of things swell
from your past be the
only tongue spoken here.
Code word entry only,
a shared whisper.
Perhaps One Woman,
may reveal its pleasures,
if she so chooses,
which are:
gelato laughs, poetry snaps,
Beatle songs sung ensemble,
by rag tag strangers
self-collected accidentally,
sung de rigeur off key
by voices lubricated by
cognac, laughter, and
the coldest of white wines,
issue of the very soil
upon which we sit.
Words to value properly,
not in my possess to capture
the few moments in time when;
Strangers transform themselves
into a triple A nation united,
that will never be
S&P; downgraded.
A holy alliance
celebrating July 4th
all night long,
all participants
signatory witnesses to
its gelato conception,
as well as pallbearers
to its last drink dissolution,
the fullness of its lifetime
a vintage of a few hours extant,
a vintage, once drunk, is
a history, forever gone.
Mixologists please record:
One playwright, a psychologist, bond trader and a social scientist
with a dash of museum director,
and do not forget the
Hundred Year Old Woman,
whose Dowager Princess Daughter
(she, a mere eighty)'
from Central Park West
clarifies all of life dilemmas with
the singular analytical tool of:
But is it good for the Jews?
**But t'is the barkeep
who is the leavening
in this evenings human
pastry-petrie dish.**
He makes the pastiche,
the ions of personalities,
coalesce best,
guitar strummer,
singer of songs that were our
multiple national anthems
when we were pseudo-rebels
starting out on our
long and winding roads.
Long the King of the Keep!
Long live the memory of our
Gelato Nation,
may it stay sweet in
our antique collection of
the best moments of
our intersecting lives.
July 2011
Jul 4, 2013
Jul 4, 2013 at 6:00 PM UTC
coffee in the night wakes me for the evening,
sipping as I listen to cool tunes
from the lady strummer sooth,
oh the taste of a nice fresh brew,
potent and dark, the caffeine streams
through blood to the brain,
nice quick buzzbuzzbee
in my head.
reprieve from the shop to the abode no one knows,
down the road curved heavy I strode
and sank deep into muses sweet song,
echo ear to ear soul soothsayer,
calm coffee nerves,
trade lines of rhyme
in a compact black
notebook of wonders belonging
none other to d-bake,
spirit of the sun, wandering peace beast
with worthy words and steady grooves.
come midnight go and its time to depart.
come home to dark demons
seeping 'round corridors and corners,
peeking for a sight of frightened prey
to pounce on invisibly,
startled through and through,
spooks steering to insanity, must
seek shelter **** covers with sleepytime tea.
long discussions over late telephone,
with lady of dreams come true,
of one consciousness such that no puzzle piece
stands apart and one love
binds the confines of it all ,
mind shatteringly simple yet
most don’t seem to see
the beauty of all infinitely one.
Dec 26, 2009
Dec 26, 2009 at 10:34 PM UTC
In the mountains of winter, hats hung to the west, on the North Star we've ridden into tomorrow instead. The natives can smell the fear that's starving your dog, that keeps the anger inside you bottled up in you alone.
And the acres subside, the girls lay in their shorts, but I hate disappointment. I hate being let down. I say you have the prettiest blue eyes that I've ever found.
In the valley, if they come, we'll read ourselves into history. Rocks for the eyes, and sticks for the knees. Against all that's wicked, inside something strong. We've all had our guts pulled out to a Keith Richards song. And the drums break, the strummer hums back, the words mix and there's a cacophony of wrong.
Even the hero will be our villain before we've come too far along.
Oct 2, 2016
Oct 2, 2016 at 2:37 AM UTC
In one fell swoop
You made everything right
In one fell swoop
You drove every hurt out
With one deep look, with one light touch
You took down everyone else
I had ever built up
Now all that's left is us
And I cannot believe my luck
You're my effervescent light
Extinguishing every past plight
You are stronger, dance better
Last longer, fly further
Kiss sweeter, sing brighter
You're a better lover, yet no fallen feather
Your gaze is deeper, your soul is richer
You're an avid listener, a better pleaser
You're no miser, nor a greaser
You're a wider reader and a soulful strummer
You're a drug I cannot decipher
You're a drug and all I wanna do is take you in
You're a drug and all I wanna do is take you higher
Mar 4, 2013
Mar 4, 2013 at 5:36 AM UTC
They say that Angels play the harp,
But I'm coming to realize
That's allegorical ********
The harp, such beautiful tone color,
(Tied to purity and innocence)
Yet have the Angels no say in the matter?
I've met hundreds of angels shrouded in cacophony.
I'm coming to realize none play the ******* harp,
Each angel marching to their own John Sousa or Joe Strummer, none alike.
Let's throw out the fascist visions of angels and know only that they are strong, and they are numerous...
They may not love you nor serve your God,
But they exist all around you,
And I implore you to know that these are your muses, your goddesses, spirits of all shapes—
Do not reduce them to harp players.
Feb 25, 2016
Feb 25, 2016 at 7:28 PM UTC
CBW: Broken nails claw hollow eyes,
Lifeless breath gasps slow demise,
Stifled are my solemn cries,
Forever failed, my many tries
To work my way out of this rut, this godforsaken hole, but like dust upon rock bottom are the fragments of my soul.
The pent up pressure, the murky waters of creative flow,
Now soaks the floors like poisoned blood,
A concentrated woe.
Alas, the shadows,
my sunken home,
It's where I'm told I should belong,
And you expect a simple answer when you ask me what is wrong..
DDF: To expect a simple answer
when I ask,
"What is wrong?"
is an accusation burning in rhythm
of songs
For I know depression can be
miles long
Show me the enemy you've
fought for too long
depression
I know is strong
Show me what I can
do just to keep you
Show me the empty shell
you have stuffed yourself
into
For I promise I can mend you
Show me the animal chained
inside of you
Because I have one too
Show me the late night screams
For I can see your sadness ripping
at happiness' seams
Don't be afraid to show
me all of you
Let me help you build upon
this sadness that has consumed
all intentions of something
new
Together who knows what we could
do?
CBW: A crack in the ceiling, exposing a light?
A call from the heavens to let me know it's alright?
This twang on my heartstring,
Resonates deep inside,
Yet, why does the strummer think her good side should hide?
Her music consumed
what once writhed in the shade,
The musical beauty was who my demons obeyed,
Yet my demons are different from the ones some portrayed,
But you can easily soothe them, if only you played.
Although the music is for me, it's played for another,
You're stuck in a sort of limbo for a lover,
And it's hard to hear from rock bottom, to the top of your tower,
The music is faint unless you give it more power.
I'll be here, filling this rut with my tears, wishing that your music could reach my ears.
DDF: I watch you struggle
trying, trying
to pull yourself from the
bottom
I look down in despair
for I know this in itself
is not fair
A god I would never bring myself
to bow to
whispers of redemption in single-
minded tongue
catching my attention
My mouth opens without a warning
spewing out prayers from night until
morning
This is not music, my dear
these are my words laced with
your fear
Jan 2, 2016
Jan 2, 2016 at 10:50 PM UTC
It's not a person or what she sees that makes a twitch between her knees.
A gentle rub a closet pressure can make her lips rub together
Once she's off a little moist then a thought is uppermost
Where oh where today can mystery man get me laid
In the park or on the stairs
With or without my underwear
From behind to start or end
Imagination is her friend
Of to the loo she must pop
To finish off her sacred spot.
Returns to desk with inner warmth as shes just strumed and now is calm.
Jan 30, 2013
Jan 30, 2013 at 12:30 PM UTC
Desires vs. Reality
4/14/2014
Things are starting to look up a bit.
Or rather, I'm starting to look up a bit.
Things are still bad.
There's no changing that.
But I'm beginning to notice that not all the world is filled with such chaos.
I mean, I've always believed that there was good out there.
But I suppose I've never truly believed that there was good here.
In this town.
In these walls.
In me.
However, now I see that I've got potential.
But that's it, for now.
Potential.
I want, so badly, to be able to paint like Millais.
I want, so badly, to write like Sylvia Plath.
I want, so badly, to explore, and be ever so determined and inspired, as Darwin.
I want, so badly, to dazzle and dance across the screen, like Hayworth and Astaire.
But, alas, I can do none of these things.
I am just a girl. Nothing special. Least not to anyone else.
I cannot be what I long to be, and it breaks my heart.
I cannot paint, or dance, or sing-
but I can breathe!
and live!
and write!
Though maybe no good at all, by God, I will write!
For nothing stirs my soul like the dragging of my pen across the page.
And by God, nothing stirs my soul like the heat of those stage lights, and fifty eyes on upon me.
I may not be who I dream to be, but ****** I will continue to be until the stars pluck me from the Earth and dance with me.
Until my feet are lifted off the Earth, and I'm carried on clouds to Jupiter.
Or Venus.
Or Saturn.
And there, I shall sing with Cobain and Strummer!
And I shall laugh with Monroe and Hepburn!
And I shall write with Bukowski and Thompson!
And I shall dance with Charisse and Gene Kelly!
And I shall dine with a thousand queens, and lay in the silkiest of sheets!
But until then, I shall simply live.
I shall live a life devoted to words, and I promise to write whenever inspired, and dance whenever music plays, and sing, as loudly as I please, simply because I can.
And I promise to never promptly believe unknown truths.
And I promise to be kind to the universe.
And lastly, I promise to live,
and breathe,
and be,
because,
well,
the universe does indeed have plans for me.
Copyright © 2014 Scarlet Van Allen
Apr 16, 2014
Apr 16, 2014 at 1:12 AM UTC
She waited tables in
storied valley manor..
to a train strummer
she was mated..
fixer of hair with
energy and mystery
just these Lifedots..
revisiting the manor
Jolene since departed
no one remembered
her wispy details..
many Jolenes
only imagination
fills in...
Mar 9, 2013
Mar 9, 2013 at 6:19 PM UTC
~Dedicated to the memory of the brave men and women of the Spanish Republican Militias, who bravely fought in the name of true freedom and a better world for all people~
Are we good enough to see the sun rise tomorrow?
Are we good enough to ever be free?
Can we forgive those who we think crossed us?
Can we ever convince ourselves that some people are worth protecting?
Will I remember to pray to God when I need to?
Maybe for me the revolution has to be personal
I was always more of an Allen Ginsberg than a Che Guevara
I worry that if I don't look like I'm fighting I'll never be taken seriously
They need to see me bleed to know I'm serious
But even when I was younger I acted different than everyone I knew
And I always get to the parties late
And I always have to leave early
My revolution is within me
The barricades are around my heart
This is a bad strategy and I'm getting nowhere fast
My life is passing me by as I count the days until a war entirely in my head
Are we good enough to live in a better world?
Well I sure as hell know we aren't perfect
But Joe Strummer thought we were good enough
And Woody Guthrie thought we were good enough
And Peter Kropotkin thought we were good enough
And maybe that's going to have to be good enough
If you have no windows
No windows will get broken
But then again
How will you let the sun come in?
Feb 3, 2017
Feb 3, 2017 at 1:07 AM UTC
Things are starting to look up a bit.
Or rather,
I'm,
starting to look up a bit.
Things are still bad,
there's no changing that.
But I'm beginning to realize that not all the world is filled with such chaos.
I mean,
I suppose I've always believed that there was good out there.
But I've never truly believed that there was good here.
In this town,
in these walls,
in me.
However,
now I see that I've got potential.
But that's it.
For now.
Potential.
I just,
I want,
so badly,
to paint like Millais.
I want,
so badly,
to write like Sylvia Plath.
I want,
so badly,
to be ever so determined and inspired as Darwin.
I want,
so badly,
to sing and dance across the stage like Hayworth and Astaire.
But alas,
I can do none of those things.
I am just a girl.
Nothing special.
Least not to anyone else.
I cannot paint,
or dance,
or sing.
But I can live,
and breathe,
and write!
Though maybe no good at all,
by God,
I will write.
For nothing stirs my soul like the dragging of my pen across the page.
And by God nothing stirs my soul like the heat of those stage lights,
and 50 eyes upon me.
I may not be who I dream to be,
but ******
I will continue to be,
until the stars pluck me from this Earth and dance with me.
Until my feet are lifted off the ground,
and I'm carried on clouds to Jupiter,
or Venus,
or Saturn.
And there,
there,
I shall sing with Cobain and Strummer.
And I shall laugh with Monroe and Hepburn.
And I shall write with Bukowski and Thompson.
And I shall dance with Charisse and Gene Kelly.
And I shall dine with a thousand queens,
and lay in the silkiest of sheets!
But until then,
I shall simply live.
I shall live a life devoted to words,
and I promise to write whenever inspired,
and dance whenever music plays,
and sing as loudly as I please,
simply because I can.
And I promise to be kind to the universe,
and I promise to never promptly believe unknown truths.
And above all,
I promise to live.
And breathe.
And be.
Because,
well.
The universe does indeed have plans for me.
© 2014 Rembrin Hawke
Jul 26, 2014
Jul 26, 2014 at 2:24 AM UTC
I can hang my research paper
about mini gardening on my
refrigerator and hope that you
read it as you're
grabbing yourself a beer
and notice how thoughtful I am
and I can leave my type writer
next to my paint brushes, where
the tv used to sit in my living room
and hope that you will sit
on my couch and wonder
if I write about you
or if I paint pictures
of how flowers look
right after it rains
and I could hang posters of
Joe Strummer
& Charles Darwin
all over my bedroom walls
so that when
you climb into my bed you
think I'm interesting and smart
and I can compose 500 word texts
about how green your eyes are
then never send them
but that's more work than
I have the energy for this year
so I just won't bother loving you
Oct 8, 2014
Oct 8, 2014 at 8:29 PM UTC
When you write a poem
What do you tell them?
Are you honest with them?
Do you tell them that you believe in God
That, though you are not Catholic, you believe in holy saints in plain clothes
Saints that don't know they are saints
No one can tell until they speak holy words of compassion
Do you tell them you think there is a bigger plan?
A greater purpose outside of passing off genetic material to another generation
Would they ask you what it means to you when someone says born again?
Would you tell them that you feel born again most Sundays but let yourself slip back into comfortable death the next morning?
Do you tell them about your job?
(Do they care?)
Do you tell them about your dreams?
(Do they listen to that either?)
Do you tell them that lately your dreams have been faint and you are afraid that one day you are going to wake up and not recognize the pieces that are left on the floor?
Do you tell them when you are down and out?
That you prefer using the term "melancholy"
Because it sounds a lot more artistic than "like ****
Do you tell them that you think you sometimes swear a little too much?
That it makes you seem unapproachable
Do you tell them about your struggle to decide whether or not you want to make yourself approachable for love?
Do you tell them that maybe you saying "I don't have the energy to invest in a relationship" also means "I don't have the energy to invest in a heartbreak"
Do you tell them you have never been that great at love and you are afraid you missed every chance you had
Do you tell them you would rather dig the world
(As your heroes say)
Do you ask them if you talk about your heroes too much?
Do you tell them about the tears shed for Johnny Cash that night after you finished his memoir?
Do you tell them where you where when you heard the news of Pete Seeger's death and wished you would have learned it later?
Do you tell them about all the times you look in the mirror and tell yourself "Joe Strummer lived with such power that his heart gave out, how dare you be so apathetic, with such self pity"
Do you tell them that you love them?
Even if you don't know them that well and don't understand exactly what they are going through
That deep deep down you do secretly understand
What should you tell them when you write your poems?
You should tell them that
Apr 13, 2016
Apr 13, 2016 at 11:03 PM UTC
I had a dream about the *** pistols
Which was pretty odd
Because they were playing songs by the Dead Kennedys
I said this be ******
I would rather jam to the clash
Joe Strummer was pretty cool
Mar 1, 2016
Mar 1, 2016 at 2:57 PM UTC
When the night starts falling all too soon
And by 4'0'Clock you can see the moon
And the depression that wracks you to the depths of your soul
Rolls over all of your hope and takes full control
When you just hold your head in your hands
You don't have the strength to take a stand
When you feel like you're at the end of your rope
And you've got nowhere to place your hope
What is there left to keep you strong ?
What is there left to help you get along ?
Well I don't know about you, but I sing a song
Shout Strummer* at the sky as I stroll along
Mutter Dylan under my breath
It gives me strength with every step
These masters of the art of song
Through the years they keep me strong
You can choose your own artists to help you keep going
But to my mind these are the ones you should be knowing
Dec 28, 2017
Dec 28, 2017 at 10:59 AM UTC