Another beat senseless burning poem

A road trip, months talking, driving, meditating, drinking, playing

In search for poetry, the beats and my soul

I’ve come to the US to follow in the footsteps of the beat generation

And to understand how they got their inspiration in this country 

Where I’ve learned so many times to call home

In a lot of ways I’m no different from

Kerouac, Ginsberg and Cassady

I’m searching for a more definite understanding

Of the craziness of life as a continuous flow

An ever-present moment (without much punctuation in my texts and in life)

And it all has to do with writing, meditation, loneliness and alcohol

For the past few months

I walked around the funky streets of San Francisco at night,

Meditated in the solitude of a Buddhist monastery in the mountains of California,

Drove around Denver and immersed myself

In museums, art, photography, books and reading,

Found my inspiration in dingy jazz clubs in New York City

And wrote several pages of spontaneous, heart poetry

Listening to the melody of trumpets, drums, pianos

For hours that seemed to be months

For minutes that lasted an eternity.

I’ll always try to portray my impressions of this life, this awakening trip

Through pictures, prose and poetry,

Lonely conversations with myself.

Going places, I’ll bring pages of my thoughts

Scattered in what used to be empty journals, 

Piles of photography and the smile of women 

And men, mad people who cross my way

Extra ordinary minds

Endless conversations

Poetry

Poetry

Poetry

Transformed in burning chords

Desolate mountains

Solitary walks 

Moment after moment.

 

Reviews

[Wolf_Lord]

This could be a column in a newspaper... Except, it is too good for that... Lol. My wife is from Vietnam and I have watched the wonder, her wonder. There are so many things I took for granted that I had the pleasure of seeing through her innocence. Then there were the hurtful realizations of the way some things work her that I never perceived as injustice until I saw them through her eyes, things that we just take for granted as, 'that's the way it is.' This is so well written because it is so expressive and understandable. It is refreshing to see so clearly another's viewpoint.
Thank you for Sharing. Wolf ,'', ^@@^ ,'',

[Rod]

Hey hi Wolf, thanks for the review. I found it interesting that you mentioned your wife's impressions of the US, I lived in Vietnam for a while (teaching English) and I had the feeling Vietnamese people are incredibly innocent (in a very good way). Every time I go to the US I feel a bit innocent myself, maybe just like your wife and when I wrote "Lonely conversations with myself" I really meant it, since I write poetry to express my ideas out into the world but never imagining anyone will read them. Thanks! Hope you guys are having a good weekend.

[LapseOfMind]

Awesome poetry, full of life. I've always enjoyed this kind of poetry and for a time experienced it myself. Delving into the depths of life and living, society and culture. Very nicely done

[Rod]

That's nice of you to say, maybe you have some poetry of the that time in your life? I'd love to read some of that.

[LapseOfMind]

I do, somewhere, scribbled on crumpled lined paper and shuffled away in one of my various notebooks hiding in the closet. I'll go look through my old stuff when I get the time and post some of it. It would be interesting to read after all these years

[Rod]

deal! no rush though, I'll read it when you post it

[Shimmerbliss/CAF]

I love, love, love your work. What more can I say?!

[Rod]

I'm happy my poetry reached you. I have written those lines immersed in unpretentious thoughts that had nothing to say but to describe the imagery in my mind. Thanks again :)

[Circe]

I admire this style greatly... it's a life philosophy of a kind.. A talented poet could turn anything into poetry. In a way it makes reality more dreamlike and less harsh... where the ugly are romanticised and made into something melancholic and beautiful.... and why not so... looking back at your experiences it is what you felt that you remember more strongly. This is a work of art.

[Rod]

I'm real glad you like it Circe. In a way it is even strange that poetry lines, thoughts one imagines in his own mind, once out there in the world, can reach out to people and make them think as well. Poetry (art?) is really something, isn't it?

[Tiffany K Charles]

You are the poetic Alchemist.... With powers to transform our reality into a wonderland of dreams....... Love ya work

[Rod]

That's just real sweet of you, thanks!

[Weeping willow]

Beautifully expressed,kinda of a dreamy wanderer ;-]

[Rod]

That's sweet of you to say, and yes, I kinda feel (or at least felt during that trip) like a dreamy wanderer

[Woody]

beautiful, Rod. this is the story of a wanderer. a man in search of the meaning of life but also, trying to understand himself. he meets plenty of interesting people and yet he is and will always be a loner. poetry and his art are his sole companions.
that's what I got from this poem and I like it.

[Rod]

You nailed it! That's pretty much what it felt like during those months. Thanks for reading again