Aesthetics, poem by Alec Solomita (WHEN I HEAR THAT SONG Series)

Aesthetics
by Alec Solomita

Billy Boyer glued pennies to the cafeteria floor
so the retarded janitor would kneel down
and try to pick them up. Billy Boyer
wasn’t really a bad kid. He was the devil.

Billy Boyer was king of our corner
cafeteria table, a squirrely lot of boys
sweating sex and doubt tempered only
by the bliss of rock ‘n’ roll radio.

One snowless winter day, “I Want To Hold Your
Hand” came out, B-side “I Saw Her Standing
There.” The single was the talk of the school.
Billy Boyer preferred the A-side.

It seemed prudent to agree but even
junior-high terror has its boundaries
and no fear could spur me to deny the sublime.
“And the way she looked was way beyond compare.”

“I like ‘I Saw Her Standing There’ better,”
I said. My heart went boom, my child’s face flamed.
“No shit,” said Billy Boyer, calling me a name I’d
never heard before (but would again). “You’re a faggot.”

PHOTO: School picture of 12-year-old Alec taken in 1964.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Alec Solomita has published fiction and poetry in Eclectica, The Adirondack Review, The Mississippi Review, Southwest Review, and elsewhere. Most recently, his work has appeared in Turk’s Head Review, MadHatLit, Truck, 3ElementsReview, and Atomic. Several of his poems will be published in the forthcoming Fulcrum: An International Anthology of Poetry and Aesthetics. He lives in the densely populated city of Somerville in the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

From the Mouth of John Lennon, poem by Suzanne O’Connell (Celebrity Free Verse Poetry Series)

FROM THE MOUTH OF JOHN LENNON
by Suzanne O’Connell

Once out of me mouth I just rolled into it.
I’ll never be an old man smoking and fighting.
I’ve been like this all me life.
Despised, blinking fits,
a complicated loser.
In a nutshell,
I was born on the concrete flats.
I was an offhand thought.

But now it’s all right.
It’s a new morning.
I’m no bullshit for once.
I used to expect too much.
Now it’s all about me.
Once out of me mouth, it’s secure.
Once I realized that
the bigger the pain,
the more god you look for,
I rolled into it.
Now, it’s all right.

SOURCE: “The Rolling Stone Interview: John Lennon, Part I” by Jann S. Wenner,  Rolling Stone  (January 21, 1971).

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Why John Lennon? I have always felt he was a kindred spirit. Loved his music and who he was.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Suzanne O’Connell lives in Los Angeles, where she is a poet and a clinical social worker. Her work can be found in Forge, Atlanta Review, G.W. Review, Reed Magazine, Permafrost, Mas Tequila Review, The Round, The Griffin, Sanskrit, Foliate Oak, Talking River, Organs of Vision and Speech Literary Magazine, Willow Review, The Tower Journal, Thin Air Magazine, The Manhattanville Review, The Evansville Review, Serving House Journal, Schuylkill Valley Journal, and Licking River Review. She was a recipient of Willow Review’s annual award for 2014 for her poem “Purple Summers.” She is a member of Jack Grapes’ L.A. Poets and Writers Collective.

Half Year Being Half a Man, poem by Christopher P.P. White (Half New Year Poetry Series)

HALF YEAR BEING HALF A MAN
by Christopher P.P. White 

In the night’s most embarrassing moments—
I am flat out and full of booze.
The garden furniture is soaked and muddy,
Covered in dead leaves
And empty champagne glasses that haven’t been washed.
Formally full of bubbles—
Now full of rain water and austerity.

Luckily I lie in my warm bed,
With the girl that shared the night
And the laughs with me,
Looking back on half a year of nothing
And looking forward to half a year
And more
Of everything.

I’ve never proposed before
And thanks to her,
I’ll never have to again.
The Beatles were right:
All you need is love.

IMAGE: “The Beatles enjoy champagne” (1960s).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Christopher P. P. White is a poet that explores every facet of this mortal coil with a mind doused in cynicism and hope. He lives in Derby, England, with his wife and two daughters, with dreams of writing for a living because he can’t do anything else. He already has two poetry collections out there called The Bare Bones of a Melancholy Life and Higher Powers and Moments of Weakness and hopes that you’ll hunt them down and read them until your full of joy and pain. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

Paul McCartney sings “Maybe I’m Amazed” in Moscow

On May 24, 2003, Paul McCartney makes his first visit to the Soviet Union, and performs his greatest hits, including “Maybe I’m Amazed,” for over 100,000 people at Red Square in Moscow — moving even grown men to tears. This clip is from McCartney Live in Red Square (2003), available at Amazon.com.

ABOUT THE CONCERT: For the Russian audience, McCartney’s appearance in Moscow is little short of a miracle. The Beatles were banned for decades by the Soviet government, which regarded their music as the epitome of Western decadence and propaganda, and the fans’ only access to the group was through the occasional black market album. Their reaction to his 2003 visit is a mixture of frenzy and rapture. In interview after interview, what one fan calls the Beatles’ “gentle intervention” is credited with helping to bring down the whole Soviet system, simply because they represented a creativity and freedom that had been almost totally silenced.

I Am the Walrus by the Beatles

Some of the all-time most original lyrics! Read them here.

Across the Universe, lyrics by John Lennon

ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
by John Lennon 

Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup,
They slither while they pass, they slip away across the universe
Pools of sorrow, waves of joy are drifting through my open mind,
Possessing and caressing me.
Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world. Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world. Nothing’s gonna change my world.

Images of broken light which dance before me like a million eyes,
They call me on and on across the universe,
Thoughts meander like a restless wind inside a letterbox they
Tumble blindly as they make their way
Across the universe
Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world. Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world. Nothing’s gonna change my world.

Sounds of laughter shades of life are ringing
Through my open ears inciting and inviting me
Limitless undying love which shines around me like a
Million suns, and calls me on and on
Across the universe
Jai guru deva om
Nothing’s gonna change my world. Nothing’s gonna change my world.
Nothing’s gonna change my world. Nothing’s gonna change my world.

MORE: Listen to the song at youtube.com.

NOTES ON THE SONG: “Across the Universe” is a song recorded by the Beatles. It was written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the various artists charity compilation album No One’s Gonna Change Our World in December 1969, and later, in different form, on Let It Be, the group’s final released album. (Read more at wikipedia.org.)

Poems by John Lennon and Lewis Carroll

I SAT BELONELY
by John Lennon

I sat belonely down a tree,
humbled fat and small.
A little lady sing to me
I couldn’t see at all.

I’m looking up and at the sky,
to find such wonderous voice.
Puzzly, puzzle, wonder why,
I hear but I have no choice.

‘Speak up, come forth, you ravel me’,
I potty menthol shout.
‘I know you hiddy by this tree’.
But still she won’t come out.

Such sofly singing lulled me sleep,
an hour or two or so
I wakeny slow and took a peep
and still no lady show.

Then suddy on a little twig
I thought I see a sight,
A tiny little tiny pig,
that sing with all it’s might

’I thought you were a lady’,
I giggle, — well I may,
To my surprise the lady,
got up — and flew away.

PHOTO: In 1964, John Lennon holds his just-released book In His Own Write while Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr read over his shoulders.

SOURCE: “I Sat Belonely” appears in the 1964 release In His Own Write by John Lennon — a collection of poetry, stories, and drawings. Much of the work was inspired by Lewis Carroll‘s nonsensical poetry in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, particularly “The Jabberwocky” (included below).

THE JABBERWOCKY
by Lewis Carroll

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

Abbey Road, 1969 album by The Beatles

In August 1969, Iain Macmillan shot the photo that would become the cover of Abbey Road, the Beatles‘ 11th (and last) studio album. Abbey Road was first album ever to omit the artist and title from the cover — a photographer’s dream: the cover consisted of the photo, the whole photo, and nothing but the photo. Macmillan had just 10 minutes to shoot the photograph — standing on a step ladder while a policeman stopped traffic.

Besides John, barefoot Paul, George, and Ringo, the photo included two notable features. The first was the white VW beetle on the left with license plate number LMW 281F. After Abbey Road’s September 1969 release, the car’s license plate was repeatedly stolen by souvenir seekers. The second notable feature was Paul Cole, the man standing in the mid-right-hand portion of the photo — an American tourist who had no idea he’d ended up in the shot until the album came out.

I Sat Belonely, poem by John Lennon

I SAT BELONELY
by John Lennon

I sat belonely down a tree,
humbled fat and small.
A little lady sing to me
I couldn’t see at all.

I’m looking up and at the sky,
to find such wonderous voice.
Puzzly, puzzle, wonder why,
I hear but I have no choice.

‘Speak up, come forth, you ravel me’,
I potty menthol shout.
‘I know you hiddy by this tree’.
But still she won’t come out.

Such sofly singing lulled me sleep,
an hour or two or so
I wakeny slow and took a peep
and still no lady show.

Then suddy on a little twig
I thought I see a sight,
A tiny little tiny pig,
that sing with all it’s might

 ’I thought you were a lady’,
I giggle, — well I may,
To my surprise the lady,
got up — and flew away.

Photo: In 1964, John Lennon holds his just-released book IN HIS OWN WRITE while Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr read over his shoulders.

###

“I Sat Belonely” appeared in the 1964 release IN HIS OWN WRITE byJohn Lennon — a collection of poetry, stories, and drawings. Much of the work was inspired by Lewis Carroll‘s nonsensical poetry in ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND, particularly “The Jabberwocky” (included below).

THE JABBERWOCKY
by Lewis Carroll

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
      And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
      The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
      Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
      And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
      The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
      And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
      The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
      He went galumphing back.

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
      Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
      He chortled in his joy.

’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
      And the mome raths outgrabe.

 

Portland Coliseum, poem by Allen Ginsberg

PORTLAND COLISEUM
by Allen Ginsberg

A brown piano in diamond
white spotlight
Leviathan auditorium
iron run wired
hanging organs, vox
black battery
A single whistling sound of ten thousand children’s
larynxes asinging
pierce the ears
and following up the belly
bliss the moment arrived
 
Apparition, four brown English
jacket christhair boys
Goofed Ringo battling bright
white drums
Silent George hair patient
Soul horse
Short black-skulled Paul
with the guitar
Lennon the Captain, his mouth
a triangular smile,
all jump together to End
some tearful memory song
ancient-two years,
The million children
the thousand words
bounce in their seats, bash
each other’s sides, press
legs together nervous
Scream again & claphand
become one Animal
in the New World Auditorium
—hands waving myriad
snakes of thought
screetch beyond hearing
 
while a line of police with
folded arms stands
Sentry to contain the red
sweatered ecstasy
that rises upward to the
wired roof.

– August 27, 1965

“Portland Coliseum” by Allen Ginsberg commemorates the Beatles’ appearance in Portland, Oregon, on August 22, 1965. The poem is found in READ THE BEATLES: Classic and New Writing on the Beatles, Their Legacy, and Why They Still Matter (Penguin, 2006), available at Amazon.com.

Photo: The Beatles performing “I’m Down” in Portand, Oregon, on August 22, 1965 (Bob Boris, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED)