Passion in present

I can’t turn my back
to corrosive corruption,
to kickback consumption of peyote and weed
to the pertinent perks of pussy and paint
to booze consumed in betrayal of back alley yearning
licking the lashes of hookers, trying to tell me their stories
of places worse than this dumpster.
to the silence in staying behind
I can’t turn my back
to erosion of eros to vices, to lust
to the drumrolls for soldiers, sent to decay.
to the dragons on acid
to amnesia stupor, becoming a ghost, in this city, my grave
I can’t turn my back
to nepotism, cancer and rot
to principles lost. praying to Gods pressing for rites
to obedience, observance of rules
to flags of falsehoods, to frauds,
to the pyres, we burn for enjoyment.
I can’t turn my back
walk away
‘cause I love the cinnamon scent
of the city, the turmeric, salt of the night
the sound of the quarreling couple
the music, our dance on the edge of disaster
the rants and complaining.
I love the living
and not the cemetery silence
of turning my back
to my passion for presence.

Today Sanaa wants us to write inspired by the beat generation of poets at dVerse. Not sure if this poem is more than a rough sketch.

October 4, 2022

16 responses to “Passion in present”

This is absolutely OUTSTANDING, Bjorn! Wow! There is such strong emotion in this poem that flows through and through. I especially resonate with; “I can’t turn my back to erosion of eros to vices, to lust, to the drumrolls for soldiers, sent to decay.” Yes. Thank you so much for adding your voice to the prompt! 💘💘

The refrain of: I cannot turn my back, is a sharp response to the darkness of the city, its corruption and nepotism, cancer and rot. You got the sounds and smells of the city.

this was chock full of that beat without rhythm, discordancy and indecency -loved every alliterative line
“to corrosive corruption,
to kickback consumption of peyote and weed
to the pertinent perks of pussy and pain”

I think that Jack would bring this poem to Ginsberg and say, “Hey, Allen, you’re really gonna dig THIS!” And he’d be right.

Björn, I agree with Sanaa, this is truly outstanding. The rhythm of the cadence is undeniable, and when I reached “licking the lashes…”, I stopped and started again because I wanted to reach it again as it is such a delicious line. The atmosphere, the phrasing puts the reader right in the middle of that dark city street.

Great plosive alliteration in the title, which continues in individual words throughout the poem, such as ‘corruption’, ‘consumption’, ‘peyote’ and the wonderful phrase ‘pertinent perks of pussy and paint’. I like the repletion of ‘I can’t turn my back’, to emphasise the futility of even trying. And oh, ‘licking the lashes of hookers’! Great rhythm, too, Björn!

“praying to Gods pressing for rites”
Powerful write my friend

Much❤love

I enjoyed the love of the quarreling couple, the music, and the dance on the edge of disaster, which needs all the rest that can’t be ignored.

the subtle alliteration and infectious beat make this piece the poem!

For me, Whitman is the elder beat and the jones for city passion throbs here in a Waltghost of ruin and heavy metal. The word “to” is an odd juxtaposition with “on,” the word a reader would expect there, because instead of avoidance there is encounter. Strong beatwork.