Whisper Zone
Whisper Zone
I smell from animalistic brotherhood
I smell an animalistic me
spawned from centuries of birth and rebirth
sitting bare on earth’s crust
beside ritual fires.
I smell animalistic history
diving thru oceans of my veins,
swimming among panting tribes
glistening with sweat, knowledgeable of the sun,
and know well the gray-cloud genius of nature
that bathes creatures with moisture
from the groin of the sky.
I smell from animalistic brotherhood
sharing jungle paths with beasts
muddied from long journeys and frenzied sex.
Sisters and brothers of the forest
huddled at the poles, squatting by the equator,
I stretch out my mind to touch you
and to be touched.
Feel me in your nighttime wanderings
and see my reflection on the leaves
and I shall be fulfilled.
Barrie Gellis
Barrie has published Outside Is a Secret Key (ISBN: 1-60047-044-0), an anthology of some of his poems, which can be ordered at Amazon or directly through the author who welcomes feedback at bargell (at) aol.com.
Barrie says: “1950 saw me born in Manhattan; and I died somewhere in 2058… or perhaps not. One of my most profound experiences was to attend Jane Roberts’ original Seth classes in Elmira, NY (1972-1973). Less profound scenarios are found in a partial listing of my past employment—not included here. Currently, I teach HS English. Additionally, I have traveled cross-country in the summers of 1968 and 1969, during which time I met my first wife. My second marriage is on its 23rd year as I write these notes. In November 1996, my son, Dande, 25, was “killed” in a hit-and-run accident in Buffalo, N.Y. I put “killed” in quotes because “killed” implies a finality of death that may not exist. Besides what you can extract from the above, other influences include, but are not limited to: Walt Whitman; William Wordsworth; Henry Miller; Socrates; Bob Dylan; Arthur Rimbaud; Lenny Bruce; The Beats; Carl Jung; Joseph Campbell; Marilyn Monroe; John Donne; ee cummings; and the New York Yankees. Each discovered at the precise right moment to make them all major influences.”
MASTER:
AAHH, Grasshopper, ancient proverb says: “Give a man a fish and you’ll feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you’ll feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man INTUITION and the motherfu**er won’t need to go fishin’!”
CAINE:
HAHA! Master, theoretically, subjectively, yes, BUT, what if upon my humble journey I encounter a naysayer who insists that “teaching” intuition would be a contradiction in terms?
MASTER:
Well, first, rip out his…
CAINE:
Master? But I…
MASTER:
I’m just KIDDING Grasshopper, JEEZ!
CAINE:
Had me going there, Master!
MASTER:
Don’t sweat the controvert, he’s havin’ fun. Tell him this: “A great teacher does not change minds, his students will choose that for themselves.”
CAINE:
Wow! Master, that’s DEEP… Ancient Proverb?
MASTER:
Fortune Cookie!… Which reminds me, I’m starved. Treat your Master to dinner?
CAINE:
Sure, why not. But I’m getting burnt out on Chinese.
MASTER:
Let’s do Japanese then. I know a great place for Fugu, the chef’s unlicensed but the price is unbeatable!
CAINE:
Sure its safe?
MASTER:
If I’m lyin’ I’m dyin’…
Master Ken-Oba
Life isn’t about how to survive the storm,
but how to dance in the rain.
Bill Pate
You can make a rope from hemp
to hang a man for smoking it
but hanging a man
is not an inherent quality of the plant
The Snoot
Kisses1
I thought about kisses
And went for a walk
And went for a walk
So many kinds
oh, so many thoughts
Treasured memories
of kisses – all kinds
Memorable moments
like lip-honey-wine
Wonders of pleasures
and of that sweet spot
I continued my walk
and here’s what I got…
My first kiss today
came straight from the sun
As it merged with my flesh
and we became one
The next kiss I felt
also came from up high
A beautiful, colorful,
sweet dragonfly
He dipped and he curved
around me as I walked
But before he flew off
he kissed that sweet spot
As I continued
I felt myself glow
Skin warm with sunshine
beginning to know
Next came a hummingbird
flying so low
He dipped just enough to
kiss my heart’s glow.
Debi Yoachum
1 An unfortunate mistake had us print an incomplete version of this poem; here you’ll find the complete version.
