Sunday, September 16, 2007
Flight Dreams
I dreamed I was Gene Hackman
on the run from other celebrities
and the celebrity lifestyle in general
Specifically George Clooney and Halle Barry chased me
through a shopping mall full of hostiles
I committed violent acts on the run
all for the sake of my freedom
I dodged neutrals and friendlies
delivered sharp elbows to the necks of evil-doers
Halle and George forever on my aged heels
I had to escape the celebrity microscope
the cocktail parties and political orgies
the ego-inflationary hot-air balloons
I took flight in that dream-time buoyancy
restricted only by labyrinthine rafters and clutching claws
Finally the dynamic power-couple overtook me
embraced me in the oppression of their love
“We’re here to help, Gene,” they said
Halle’s lips seeking my flesh seductively
They brought me down down down to the basement
They locked me away there for my own good
in a place I could no longer endanger myself
with my ideas of sweet anonymity
Their strategy was disingenuously ingenious
I was too isolated to be overwhelmed
I was lonely enough to crave anyone’s company
My kindly Old Lady was the one to save me
with her diabolical invisibility spray
she somehow snuck into my basement tomb
and joined me there in my prison cell
Together we awaited the inevitable nervously
and when George and Halle came to reintegrate me
into their monstrous balls and antechambers
they found my sweet Old Lady there
alone befuddled bemused and confused
“Gene, my sweet sexy old man where are you?”
Halle cooed as George scanned the shower
under the bed and behind the wardrobe
I stood shivering off to the side
completely invisible and conscious of every breath
When George opened the window and called out
into the delirious night so dramatically trained
I took my cue and my cure and I took flight
vowing to come back some day to save my Old Lady
I flew deep and far and fast into darkness’s warm heart
I was naked, unseen and unknown
gloriously free like never before.
on the run from other celebrities
and the celebrity lifestyle in general
Specifically George Clooney and Halle Barry chased me
through a shopping mall full of hostiles
I committed violent acts on the run
all for the sake of my freedom
I dodged neutrals and friendlies
delivered sharp elbows to the necks of evil-doers
Halle and George forever on my aged heels
I had to escape the celebrity microscope
the cocktail parties and political orgies
the ego-inflationary hot-air balloons
I took flight in that dream-time buoyancy
restricted only by labyrinthine rafters and clutching claws
Finally the dynamic power-couple overtook me
embraced me in the oppression of their love
“We’re here to help, Gene,” they said
Halle’s lips seeking my flesh seductively
They brought me down down down to the basement
They locked me away there for my own good
in a place I could no longer endanger myself
with my ideas of sweet anonymity
Their strategy was disingenuously ingenious
I was too isolated to be overwhelmed
I was lonely enough to crave anyone’s company
My kindly Old Lady was the one to save me
with her diabolical invisibility spray
she somehow snuck into my basement tomb
and joined me there in my prison cell
Together we awaited the inevitable nervously
and when George and Halle came to reintegrate me
into their monstrous balls and antechambers
they found my sweet Old Lady there
alone befuddled bemused and confused
“Gene, my sweet sexy old man where are you?”
Halle cooed as George scanned the shower
under the bed and behind the wardrobe
I stood shivering off to the side
completely invisible and conscious of every breath
When George opened the window and called out
into the delirious night so dramatically trained
I took my cue and my cure and I took flight
vowing to come back some day to save my Old Lady
I flew deep and far and fast into darkness’s warm heart
I was naked, unseen and unknown
gloriously free like never before.
Labels: non-fiction, Poetry
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Brilliant poem.
It's odd how we unquestioningly accept that sort of celebrity lifestyle as the end-all, be-all, as though one can hope to accomplish no more than those ego-inflationary hot air balloons.
Glad to see Gene has seen past that.
It's odd how we unquestioningly accept that sort of celebrity lifestyle as the end-all, be-all, as though one can hope to accomplish no more than those ego-inflationary hot air balloons.
Glad to see Gene has seen past that.
PP: lol, I wonder how Gene would really feel about this, or George or Halle for that matter. I suspect that most celebrities are with the Gene of my dreams on this one.
CD: I guess I got to dream of Georgy mainly because I never wanted to.
CD: I guess I got to dream of Georgy mainly because I never wanted to.
1. Benj there is a preponderance of South park likenesses here!
2. Ok I just like the word Preponderance.
3. I hope we can use it as much as possible.
4. I like this! I really felt like my attention was grabbed for the ride. You are indeed crazy. In the way one needs to be.
5. More poems!
6. Totally unrelated: I just posted in my comments a link to Left of Center's blog, because he has a post up about the privacy policies at Facebook. I think many people sign up with myspace, blogger, facebook, etc. and here is why I am telling you to hear it: there is a part about giving rights to your content. How many people don't realize this about facebook? Kids, with pictures? Shudder.
Here is the link: Here.
It's short, just to make the point about the need to REALLY read the use/ownership parts of these policies. And to check them elsewhere too. Bastards.
2. Ok I just like the word Preponderance.
3. I hope we can use it as much as possible.
4. I like this! I really felt like my attention was grabbed for the ride. You are indeed crazy. In the way one needs to be.
5. More poems!
6. Totally unrelated: I just posted in my comments a link to Left of Center's blog, because he has a post up about the privacy policies at Facebook. I think many people sign up with myspace, blogger, facebook, etc. and here is why I am telling you to hear it: there is a part about giving rights to your content. How many people don't realize this about facebook? Kids, with pictures? Shudder.
Here is the link: Here.
It's short, just to make the point about the need to REALLY read the use/ownership parts of these policies. And to check them elsewhere too. Bastards.
The visual images from this poetry are surprsingly vivid and alive. Why these celebrities I wonder?
Celebrity versus anonimity. I know which side I choose as if there is a choice.
Food for thought.
Celebrity versus anonimity. I know which side I choose as if there is a choice.
Food for thought.
Lynn: my subconscious is the craziest part of me.
YEah, I'd heard that about facebook and it's one reason I refuse to join it. I don't think those rules apply to blogger - maybe I better double-check.
Kissa: I'm not sure why these particular celebrities, I'll have to ask my sub-conscious tonight and get back to you on that one.
YEah, I'd heard that about facebook and it's one reason I refuse to join it. I don't think those rules apply to blogger - maybe I better double-check.
Kissa: I'm not sure why these particular celebrities, I'll have to ask my sub-conscious tonight and get back to you on that one.
Celebrityism is taking over the world. It's one of the things I dislike most about living in the US. Teens, grown woman and men seem to want to be a celebrity or be in awe of them.
I'm a hermit by nature, I think people are just people, I don't get it.
I'm a hermit by nature, I think people are just people, I don't get it.
Beth: Canada's not much different on that score, I'm afraid. I found Ghana refreshingly relatively free of celebrity-worship. I think it's a product of capitalism, in which people are marketed as disposable income commodities.
Myutopia: Congrats!! You must be very excited. Good luck on this new path, I hope there will be pics in a few months.
Myutopia: Congrats!! You must be very excited. Good luck on this new path, I hope there will be pics in a few months.
I loved this. Read it twice, maybe two and a half times, what with jumping back a bit to look at connections across the paragraphs.
It reminded me of 1984, being taken to "minilove" for re-education.
Wild imagination. Inspiring.
Maybe this whole blogger thing is the way in which a new generation of writers and poets will develop a scene, ala, the Beat Generation inhabitants of on the north shore of SF. You've got a great idea, here. And it interprets, well, all over the place!
The uber-wise Kaufman once told me on my blog "the mark of a good poem is not in it's subject matter, but in the depth and breadth of it's interpretation." Ultra Toast seconded it. I remember it every day when I write, and have sublimated it. I see you have, too.
It reminded me of 1984, being taken to "minilove" for re-education.
Wild imagination. Inspiring.
Maybe this whole blogger thing is the way in which a new generation of writers and poets will develop a scene, ala, the Beat Generation inhabitants of on the north shore of SF. You've got a great idea, here. And it interprets, well, all over the place!
The uber-wise Kaufman once told me on my blog "the mark of a good poem is not in it's subject matter, but in the depth and breadth of it's interpretation." Ultra Toast seconded it. I remember it every day when I write, and have sublimated it. I see you have, too.
I don't know if you get email notification or not, but I read the "Nine Haikus for Stephen Shaw" from your October 2004 post. I recommend it to everyone to go see what I'm talking about.
*Sing! If you read this comment, go check it out! Benjibopper has stuff that read like Bob Dylan lyrics.
*Sing! If you read this comment, go check it out! Benjibopper has stuff that read like Bob Dylan lyrics.
A(nother) great read, BeBop. Hackman on the run is a frightfully frightening thought frought with fear and loathing. Although it wasn't mentioned in the poem, I did envisage him in a beige safari suit with a safari hat smoking a cigarette from one of those cigarette filter/holders.
Throughout this, I also got the impression that he, George and Halle were destined for a grand finale in the bedroom. Was this a subliminal sub-plot or the reason that has now become standardised: due to my own sexual misappropriation?
In other news, our TTCE piece awaits your next move.
PS Hey, I got a mention in this thread!
PPS For the record, I'm CERTAIN that I didn't write "it's" but "its" (although I'm being a prickly nitpicky prick, Eric). ;)
PPPS Surely Eric has exaggerated my wisenessness. I have not strayed beyond mega-wise for at least four years (incidentally, that was the last time I did any fun drugs).
Throughout this, I also got the impression that he, George and Halle were destined for a grand finale in the bedroom. Was this a subliminal sub-plot or the reason that has now become standardised: due to my own sexual misappropriation?
In other news, our TTCE piece awaits your next move.
PS Hey, I got a mention in this thread!
PPS For the record, I'm CERTAIN that I didn't write "it's" but "its" (although I'm being a prickly nitpicky prick, Eric). ;)
PPPS Surely Eric has exaggerated my wisenessness. I have not strayed beyond mega-wise for at least four years (incidentally, that was the last time I did any fun drugs).
speak of the devil, and he shall apear...
with the good drugs and all.
That really was some of the best advice I've ever heard. Nothing directing, nothing preachy, just helping me to stay on my own track and to ignore bull droppings.
with the good drugs and all.
That really was some of the best advice I've ever heard. Nothing directing, nothing preachy, just helping me to stay on my own track and to ignore bull droppings.
Hm.
"and the celebrity lifestyle in general
Specifically George Clooney and Halle Barry chased me
through a shopping mall full of hostiles..."
Without prejudice:
Why do I worry about excess verbiage?
Hangup of mine. I am probably some sort of perfectionist.
Myself, I'd never use carttidge phrases like "the celebrity lifestyle in general."
But who is perfect?
I say we should avoid cliches, grab the bull by the horns and let the chips fall where they may. :)
Ivan
"and the celebrity lifestyle in general
Specifically George Clooney and Halle Barry chased me
through a shopping mall full of hostiles..."
Without prejudice:
Why do I worry about excess verbiage?
Hangup of mine. I am probably some sort of perfectionist.
Myself, I'd never use carttidge phrases like "the celebrity lifestyle in general."
But who is perfect?
I say we should avoid cliches, grab the bull by the horns and let the chips fall where they may. :)
Ivan
# posted by 
: 9:38 PM
: 9:38 PM
Eric: I've thought about those beat writers too wrt bloggers. Maybe one of us should start a printing press. I nominate Ivan.
Dylan eh?
Kaufman: there was that undertone, but Gene thwarted it with his puritanism. the rest was your own misappropriation and possible miseducation. i'm on my way over to TTCE.
Ivan: carttidge? Well, anyway, I agree with you about cliches, I avoid them like the plague (except when using commonplace similes). But I don't think this piece is particularly cliche. Or maybe describing one's dreams is cliche, but the content of this particular dream isn't. When I dream I'm in an exam room in my underwear, that never becomes a poem. I don't see the celebrity lifestyle in general as particularly cliche, but I guess that's just a matter of opinion.
Your point about excessive verbiage is quite interesting. I'm not necessarily opposed to it, myself. It can be used to remarkable comic effect. Extra syllables can be beautiful things sometimes, especially in poetry. Excessive verbiage bothers me much more in prose than in verse, but maybe that's just me.
Dylan eh?
Kaufman: there was that undertone, but Gene thwarted it with his puritanism. the rest was your own misappropriation and possible miseducation. i'm on my way over to TTCE.
Ivan: carttidge? Well, anyway, I agree with you about cliches, I avoid them like the plague (except when using commonplace similes). But I don't think this piece is particularly cliche. Or maybe describing one's dreams is cliche, but the content of this particular dream isn't. When I dream I'm in an exam room in my underwear, that never becomes a poem. I don't see the celebrity lifestyle in general as particularly cliche, but I guess that's just a matter of opinion.
Your point about excessive verbiage is quite interesting. I'm not necessarily opposed to it, myself. It can be used to remarkable comic effect. Extra syllables can be beautiful things sometimes, especially in poetry. Excessive verbiage bothers me much more in prose than in verse, but maybe that's just me.
Eric: thanks for your visit to my archives. I responded to your visit there as well. Your kind words were much appreciated, in an unexpected way, there.
I love the idea that even celebrities have their own hierarchy. A classification of beauty and power among the elite, when, really, many people who dream of that level of stardom see it as a cliff. Reach it, and you have arrived. Period
That was beautiful. It felt very real, with that strange dream logic and also dream feeling of ultimate freedom.
I liked it.
*
I liked it.
*
Thanks TC!
Claire: I suppose it could be a cliff, a very perilous one at that. But indeed, as Bob Dylan said, "you gotta serve somebody" no matter who you are.
Bigwings: thanks, that's about what I was going for and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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Claire: I suppose it could be a cliff, a very perilous one at that. But indeed, as Bob Dylan said, "you gotta serve somebody" no matter who you are.
Bigwings: thanks, that's about what I was going for and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
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