an open letter to Gurney Norman
i saw you on the roof of an Urge
evolving to the tune of "dark star",
a failed estelle asleep in the back
we arrived late, with the notion
was this familiar devotion
from a previous life but not the last one?
the focus of the stage had pronounced the setting
a poet from newyork had just returned
and showed me the accomodations,
"most of them go the other way"
and so stumbled
into the end of the gathering
the schoolbus graveyard
the whole earth festival that wasn't in the tour package
upon what mama cass had known all along
the quintessential hippie destiny that wasnt mine
my intellect was the infant crying
on the edge of the main council circle
relieved with simple understanding no disruption.
my job was canned music on the radio
my purpose was barefoot desperado
over a treacherous landscape of big ripples
the joy of true service from the family dog
my work to believe in "every little thing gonna be alright",
the goddess yoni had to teach me by osmosis.
I grew into the mulch of the colourful, over-processed
and ultimately co-opted parade -
communities were mycelial spawn,
events and gatherings the fruit,
the (tenessee) farm public servants,
the hog farm medical and food,
the grateful dead trucking service,
and Kesey the missing link to human evolution.
the whole earth catalog was this cut-and-pasted stuff
collaged all over the roof -
when I saw you once again it was my heart crying
real lion dancing.
this throttle wont make it go
these brakes wont stop it slow
the ego will never really "know"
is this the end of the road?
my meaning was just to say "hello"
to the remains of an ancient temple,
a debt that can never be repaid.
so its all the same f#*&ing dharma -
its a previous life for all of us, but not the SAME previous life.
experience is the guru but is not my experience
until practice.
thank you so much.
amr
----------------------------
confucius said,
"At the age of 15 I set my heart on learning.
At 30 I was established.
At 40 I was unwavering.
At fifty I knew the order of heaven.
At sixty I listened receptively.
At seventy I followed my heart's desire without going too far."