Lawrence Ferlinghetti is Dead, Long Live Lawrence Ferlinghetti! by S.A. Griffin

Collage by S.A. Griffin
Collage by S.A. Griffin

Lawrence Ferlinghetti is Dead, Long Live Lawrence Ferlinghetti!

Howling Allen Ginsberg
got shot out of history’s atomic canon
and never stopped flying
Ferlinghetti prints the poem as news hysterical naked
and gets busted for publishing obscene odes

the law fought the poem and the poem won

without this greeting at such great beginning
there would be no Beat Generation heard ‘round the world
and I would have descended a very different staircase
and would not know my wife
nor most all my friends

Ferlinghetti climbs down from the gaunt tree of war
and with his poet’s eye sees fists of Hiroshima and Nagasaki blossoms
shadowboxing in the dark and declares god
a fraternity of one hung up on eternity
a frightened lonely child
pissing himself

the poet’s dog lifting his leg knows
that democracy is deconstructionist porn
for masturbating objectivists
and as of this writing
the poet himself has shed his bony skin
and is no longer making this carnival scene

and from those of us here
still snapping in ripe time
most gratefully and lovingly we bid you
good night sweet paperback prince
may choirs of scat seraphim
sing thee to thy authentic angel headed rest
everything ends lost and found
as rebirth and revolutionary wonder

Oh, man!

S.A. Griffin 2/27/21

S.A. Griffin. Photo by Mark Hanauer
S.A. Griffin / Photo by Mark Hanauer

S.A. Griffin. lives, loves and works in Los Angeles.

10 Replies to “Lawrence Ferlinghetti is Dead, Long Live Lawrence Ferlinghetti! by S.A. Griffin”

    • Thanks Pris!! Ferlinghetti’s life and work is the magic that pulled the poem out of the hat and covered the world with lines.

      • I feel naked now. As though all the beats have left. Who do we have to lead us now? Not to many great poets and writers left. Our world is in decay. I’m out. Good day and soon, happy bday!

        • Hey Robert, great to hear from you! Yeah, our world is struggling thru unprecedented flux, but we keep on keeping on as best we can. Off the top of my bald brain, let’s see… Gary Snyder, David Amram, Anne Waldman, Bob Branaman, Charles Plymell, A.D. Winans, George Herms, Jack Hirschman… there’s still a few, but yes, the old school is dropping away quite quickly as we move up to the head of the line, ticket in hand. And thanks for the early birthday greeting, 67 the 16th, working thru my nine lives and counting. And happy birthday to you as well, yours is coming up the 20th, right? Getting there man, we’re getting there.

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