poetry

The Bean

early morn risers

unite, join hands

and cry

Opaque with hoary frost sublime

I hope

to unlock

the fearful

box of pandora

Collecting some scribblings

For Buddy Rich

Play on

play on

with blurred vision

of fiery sticks

beating

frenzied tattoo about

stretched skins

reverb

orating to masses

This essay will deal with the poem Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird, by Wallace Stevens. The poem seems to be thematically structured to bring about a fuller understanding of our own thought processes and to enable us to realize shortcomings in our egocentric thoughts. By using the signifier blackbird, repeated in each of the thirteen stanzas, Stevens guides us through a process of self questioning. Separately, the verses are similar to Zen koans, designed to shatter your method of thinking to bring about enlightenment. Yet as a whole this piece seems gently to nudge you into the author's way of thinking, rather than shoving as Zen propounds.

BEAT!

compiled and edited by D. Dickie, J. Chapman, P. Charron and many others.

MUSIC: The audience is greeted by a catchy jazz groove, as the lights go down, the music fades.

PROLOGUE

ON STAGE: Allen Ginsberg is reading HOWL for the first time at the gallery 6 poetry reading in San Francisco.