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A TRUE ACCOUNT OF TALKING TO THE SUN AT FIRE ISLAND
Frank O'Hara - 1958
The Sun woke me this morning loud
and clear, saying "Hey! I've been
trying to wake you up for fifteen
minutes. Don't be so rude, you are
only the second poet I've ever chosen
to speak to personally
so why
aren't you more attentive? If I could
burn you through the window I would
to wake you up. I can't hang around
here all day."
"Sorry, Sun, I stayed
up late last night talking to Hal."
"When I woke up Mayakovsky he was
a lot more prompt" the Sun said
petulantly. "Most people are up
already waiting to see if I'm going
to put in an appearance."
I tried
to apologize "I missed you yesterday."
"That's better" he said. "I didn't
know you'd come out." "You may be
wondering why I've come so close?"
"Yes" I said beginning to feel hot
wondering if maybe he wasn't burning me
anyway.
"Frankly I wanted to tell you
I like your poetry. I see a lot
on my rounds and you're okay. You may
not be the greatest thing on earth, but
you're different. Now, I've heard some
say you're crazy, they being excessively
calm themselves to my mind, and other
crazy poets think that you're a boring
reactionary. Not me.
Just keep on
like I do and pay no attention. You'll
find that people always will complain
about the atmosphere, either too hot
or too cold too bright or too dark, days
too short or too long.
If you don't appear
at all one day they think you're lazy
or dead. Just keep right on, I like it.
And don't worry about your lineage
poetic or natural. The Sun shines on
the jungle, you know, on the tundra
the sea, the ghetto. Wherever you were
I knew it and saw you moving. I was waiting
for you to get to work.
And now that you
are making your own days, so to speak,
even if no one reads you but me
you won't be depressed. Not
everyone can look up, even at me. It
hurts their eyes."
"Oh Sun, I'm so grateful to you!"
"Thanks and remember I'm watching. It's
easier for me to speak to you out
here. I don't have to slide down
between buildings to get your ear.
I know you love Manhattan, but
you ought to look up more often.
And
always embrace things, people earth
sky stars, as I do, freely and with
the appropriate sense of space. That
is your inclination, known in the heavens
and you should follow it to hell, if
necessary, which I doubt.
Maybe we'll
speak again in Africa, of which I too
am specially fond. Go back to sleep now
Frank, and I may leave a tiny poem
in that brain of yours as my farewell."
"Sun, don't go!" I was awake
at last. "No, go I must, they're calling
me."
"Who are they?"
Rising he said "Some
day you'll know. They're calling to you
too." Darkly he rose, and then I slept.
From The Collected Poems of Frank O'Hara. Copyright © 1971 by Maureen Granville-Smith. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
From The Collected Poems of Frank O'Hara. Copyright © 1971 by Maureen Granville-Smith. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
All mimsy were the borogoves
And the mome raths outgrabe
We all know what that means: it’s time to harvest the wild tags!
I’ve been tagged by thebalefulprimal (https://www.deviantart.com/thebalefulprimal) angelserum (https://www.deviantart.com/angelserum) LaurenIpsome (https://www.deviantart.com/laurenipsome) and WhereIsTheSpoon (https://www.deviantart.com/whereisthespoon) These have been aging in my inbox long enough - get ready for some crazy tea!
Tɥǝ Rnlǝs
1. You have to post these rules (Done, you didn’t say anything about messing with them tho… )
4. Each person has to share 10 perfectly ridiculous things about them.
8. Answer the 10 questions asked to you and do 10 sit-ups
3. Choose 10 people for a game of poker.
2. You have to tag 10 people whose middle name starts with ̶
Got your nose
And imma keep it, have a little feature instead!
Thought I'd check in to see how everyone is doing, how are you beautiful people?
Before we start I want to give a shout-out to SECRET-NINJA-SUPER-M (https://www.deviantart.com/secret-ninja-super-m) for making me this:
(Yes, I'm still not over the awesomeness )
Pssst...If you got to the bottom of this you can have your nose back.
Not quite a goodbye
You are tired
e.e. cummings
You are tired,
(I think)
Of the always puzzle of living and doing;
And so am I.
Come with me, then,
And we’ll leave it far and far away–
(Only you and I, understand!)
You have played,
(I think)
And broke the toys you were fondest of,
And are a little tired now;
Tired of things that break, and–
Just tired.
So am I.
But I come with a dream in my eyes tonight,
And knock with a rose at the hopeless gate of your heart–
Open to me!
For I will show you the places Nobody knows,
And, if you like,
The perfect places of Sleep.
Ah, come with me!
I’ll blow you that wonderful bubble, the moon,
Blinded by Rainbows
So, I have been featured on The Ladies of Lit, the other day along with some awesome people, and since it’s actually a big deal for me (for real, if it wasn’t impractical I would periodically faint ) I wanted to say thank you so much to the wonderful LadyLincoln (https://www.deviantart.com/ladylincoln) :heart: and celebrate by sharing some art with y’all!
Also a big shout out goes to SueJO (https://www.deviantart.com/suejo) :heart: she makes beautiful, heartfelt features journals that deserve all the attention!
Thank you for reading! :heart:
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Comments119
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Decent poem. Not much to talk home about really. I got bored from the start.