Michael McClure. Poetry 70th

мсм╓мтм╓м╙мрм╒мщм┌м▄ http://www.translate.ru/

from Star (1970)
________________________________________
MAD SONNET 1
THE PLUMES OF LOVE ARE BLACK! THE PLUMES OF LOVE ARE BLACK!
AND DELICATE! OH!
and shine like moron-eyed plumes of a peacock
with violetshine and yellow on shadowy black.
They SPRAY from the body of the Beloved.
Vanes shaking in air.
__________________________________
AND I DO NOT WANT BLACK PLUMES OR AGONY . . . AND I DO
NOT SURRENDER. And I ask for noble combat
to give pure Love
as best I can
with opened heart.
Love,
I have not seen you before and you''re
more beautiful than a plume!
Stately, striding in Space and warm . . . ( Your
human breasts! )
LET ME MAKE YOUR SMILE AND HEARTSHAPED FACE IMMORTAL
-------------------------------
YOUR GREY EYES ARE WHAT I FINALLY COME TO WITH MY BROWN!
AND YOUR HIGH CHEEKS, and your hair rough
for a woman''s -- like a lamb. And the walking virtue
that you are!
* * *
LOVE LION
OH FUCKING LOVER ROAR WITH JOY -- I, LION MAN!
I GROAN, I AM, UPON THE CONE SHAPED BREASTS
& tossing thighs!
--AND SEND MY THOUGHTS INTO A BLACKER UNIVERSE
OF SUGAR!
Thy face is a strained sheer Heart twisted
to fine beauty by thy coming.
it is a million miles from toes to thighs!
(Our bodies beat like the ultimate movie
slowed to blurs of two meat clouds becoming
one -- and the Undershroud is joined
by kissing mouths.)
OH!
OH!
And I am some simple cub
with plump muscles, loving immortality!
THE SHEETS ARE WHITE.
THE PILLOW SOFT.
JESUS HOW I HATE THE MIDDLE COURSE!
Thy eyes! Thy eyes!
________________________________________
from On Organism (1974)
________________________________________
NIRVANA ALSO DEPENDS ON THE TREASURES OF THE TATHAGATA.
YET DEATH IS NEVER A WHOLLY WELCOME GUEST.
SWIM MUSIC DARK GLOAMING THUNDER.
LISTENING SMOKE SHEET WRINKLE MORNING.
A blackened face with clouds of blue smoke from the forehead.
Russian wolfhound crunching the ribs of sheep.
An envelope filled with orchid seeds.
Bright green creatures.
Appearance of the Ghost of Love.
Chairs covered with moss.
Palm trees the size of bacteria.
The sexual thrill of darkened autos.
Ammonia.
Ammonites.
Pineapple.
Silver dollars in the stocking.
Pineapple.
Ammonites.
Ammonia.
The sexual thrill of darkened autos.
Palm trees the size of bacteria.
Chairs covered with moss.
Appearance of the Ghost of Love.
Bright green creatures.
An envelope filled with orchid seeds.
Russian wolfhound crunching the ribs of sheep.
A blackened face with clouds of blue smoke from the forehead.
LISTENING SMOKE SHEET WRINKLE MORNING.
SWIM MUSIC BARK GLOAMING THUNDER.
YET DEATH IS NEVER A WHOLLY WELCOME GUEST.
NIRVANA ALSO DEPENDS ON THE TREASURES OF THE TATHAGATA.
* * *
EACH BON MOT HAS COST ME A PURSE OF GOLD.
ERASE THE LINES OF THE NIGHT FROM THE COUCH OF THE DAY.
COOL TURQUOISE CRYSTAL FEATHER -- WOLF PROTON GYRE.
SCROLLED FERN SHADOW SPORE -- BREAST SALT MOON.
Wheel of the galaxy turning in tumbleweed.
Faces of antelope staring from ice cream.
Watches ticking on the backs of turtles.
Tambourines tinkling in apple trees.
Flames full of creatures arising from the mouths of worms
Bearded men pondering in dreams.
Bees and moths darting on the fields of purple asters.
Odor of hummingbird mint crunched under boot heel.
Maya.
Spirit.
Matter.
River.
Creek.
River.
Matter.
Spirit.
Maya.
Odor of hummingbird mint crunched under boot heel.
Bees and moths darting on the fields of purple asters.
Bearded men pondering in dreams.
Flames full of creatures arising from the mouths of worms.
Tambourines tinkling in apple trees.
Watches ticking on the backs of turtles.
Faces of antelope staring from ice cream.
Wheel of the galaxy turning in tumbleweed.
SCROLLED FERN SHADOW SPORE -- BREAST SALT MOON.
COOL TURQUOISE CRYSTAL FEATHER -- WOLF PROTON GYRE.
ERASE THE LINES OF THE NIGHT FROM THE COUCH OF THE DAY.
EACH BON MOT HAS COST ME A PURSE OF GOLD.
________________________________________
From September Blackberries (1974)
________________________________________
99 THESES
1. MAN IS A CARNIVORE EXPERIENCING HIMSELF.
2. MAN IS A MAMMAL.
3. THE UNIVERSE IS THE MESSIAH.
4. THE CREATURE IS ONE BEING.
5. ONE BEING IS POLYTHEISM.
6. THE 27 SENSES ARE EXTRUSIONS OF MESSIAH.
7. THE SENSES ARE GODS AND GODDESSES.
8. THE MAMMAL & THE STAR ARE EQUAL.
9. THE STARS ARE A GAS.
10. THE GALAXIES ARE A LIQUID.
11. ALL LIFE IS A MEAT SCULPTURE FREED OF TIME, SPACE & DIMENSION.
12. THIS SOCIETY IS A CAGE FOR THE MAMMAL.
13. ALL CREATURES OF WING, FIN, FUR, TENTACLE, PROTOPLASM -- ARE EQUAL.
14. THE PANDA IS A PEACOCK.
15. MAN IS A PANDA.
16. THE SALMON IS A MAN.
17. THE WOLF SINGS.
18. CARBON, HYDROGEN, NITROGEN, OXYGEN, SULFUR.
19. THE STAR IS A SUN.
20. CHILDREN ARE FREE.
21. THE BODY IS A CHILD.
22. THEISM REJECTS THE MESSIAH.
23. THE PHYSIOLOGICAL BODY IS PURE SPIRIT.
24. EACH SELF IS MANY SELVES.
25. THE INVISIBLE EXTENSIONS OUTWARD ARE AS COMPLEX AS THE VISIBLE EXTENSIONS INWARD.
26. THE SENSORIUM, MEMORIES, AND GENES -- ARE CONSTELLATIONS.
27. ALL CONSTELLATIONS ARE ONE CONSTELLATION.
28. LIFE SURGES.
29. EXTINCTION IS AN APPEARANCE.
30. THE SNOW LEOPARD IS A WORM ELF.
31. EARTH IS A SNOW LEOPARD.
32. LIFE IS TOPOLOGICAL COMPLEXITY.
33. WEALTH IS ENERGY.
34. ELECTRONICS DEVOLVE FROM THIS STAR.
35. THERE IS NOT INTELLIGENCE BUT INTELLIGENCES.
36. CRUELTY, TORTURE, SELFISHNESS, VANITY ARE BORING.
37. EACH MAMMAL DESERVES.
38. THE SLOTH AND THE EAGLE ARE EQUAL -- MEN ARE EQUAL IN THE SAME WAY.
39. THERE ARE, AND ARE NOT, MOLECULES AND ATOMS.
40. ONLY THE SELVES CAN DOMESTICATE THE SELF-DOMESTICATED.
41. MAN AND THE DOG ARE SELF-DOMESTICATED.
42. MEN FEED WILD MUSTANGS TO DOGS, AND WHALES TO CATS.
43. THE SEA URCHIN IS A GREAT PHILOSOPHER.
44. PLATO EQUALS CHARLIE CHAPLIN -- JESUS IS ANACREON.
45. MONEY IS FUNNY.
46. THE DOLLAR IS A COLLAR.
47. CLOVER IS A CREATURE.
48. THERE IS ENOUGH WATER FOR ALL WHO SHOULD BE.
49. EVERYTHING IS NATURAL.
50. REASON IS BEAUTY.
51. MEAT IS THOUGHT.
52. THE GREEKS WERE THE LAST TO DEIFY THE SENSES.
53. MONOTONY IS MADNESS.
54. THE FRONTIER IS OUTSIDE.
55. THE FRONTIER IS INSIDE.
56. LIFE BEGINS WITH COILING-MOLECULES & NEBULAE.
57. RELIGION, MATERIALISM, POLITICS, PROGRESS, TECHNOLOGY-ARE EVANGELISMS.
58. EVANGELISMS ARE PROLIFERATIONS OF MONOTONY.
59. REVOLUTION IS SENTIMENT.
60. REVOLT IS BIOLOGICAL.
61. THE LIGHT ON YOUR FINGERTIPS IS STARLIGHT.
62. PROPORTION AS MEASUREMENT IS FALSITY.
63. THE BLACK MAN IS NOT THE PINK MAN OR THE YELLOW -- THEY ARE MAMMALS.
64. DREAD THE POLITICO AND PREACHER WHO CAN DELINEATE A MESSIAH.
65. NATIONS ARE FALSE DIVISIONS OF CONTINENTS.
66. CITIES ARE SWIRLS OF POPULATION.
67. IT IS NATURAL TO DROWN IN CITIES -- IT IS NATURAL TO SWIM IN WAVES.
68. THERE IS ONE LANGUAGE -- GESTURE, VOICE AND VIBRATION OF BODY.
69. YOUTH IS CLUBBED WHEN IT RISES OR OPENS.
70. THE BODY IS ELF LAND.
71. THE CHILD IS A BEAST OF BURDEN -- HE IS USED FOR WAR.
72. LIFE IS NOT REST BUT ACTION.
73. LIGHT AND DARKNESS ARE ARBITRARY DIVISIONS.
74. THE FIST IS REAL -- THE MACHINE GUN, BOMB, NAPALM, ARE FANTASIES OF COMMUNICATION.
75. PROPAGANDA IS NARCOSIS.
76. POPULATION IS AN ADDICTION.
77. LOVE CAN ONLY BE MADE, OR INVENTED, WITH MEAT.
78. PRISONS AND COURTROOMS ARE MONOTONY.
79. WAR IS ONE COLOR.
80. THE PUSSY WILLOW, THE REDWOOD, THE BUTTERFLY -- ARE BLOSSOMS.
81. MADNESS IS TEMPORARY AND NATURAL.
82. WHERE THE BODY IS -- THERE ARE ALL THINGS.
83. SOUL IS BORING -- SPIRIT FLIES.
84. THE CRICKET IS A WARRIOR AND A GOD OF MUSIC.
85. THE FALCON IS A CLOSE AND TEMPORARY ACQUAINTANCE.
86. ANY SEXUAL GROUP IS APPARENTLY NATURAL.
87. CLEANLINESS IS UNDEFINABLE AND AS NATURAL AS FILTH.
88. DRUGS ARE BRIEF ALCHEMY.
89. MORALE IS VIGOR.
90. THE YOUNG CREATURE IS AGILE.
91. THE OLDER CREATURE IS STRONG.
92. WISDOM, MEMORY, IMAGINATION, ARE SENSORY -- CONSTELLATIONS OF INTELLECTIVE MEAT.
93. MODERATION DERIVES FROM MULTIPLICITY OF EXPERIENCE.
94. NOW SUCKS.
95. PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE AND DIMENSIONS ARE A FIELD FOR BALANCE.
96. LUCK IS A CREATION OF THE MEAT.
97. LUCK AND MEAT ARE DIVINE.
98. THE EYE AND TONGUE ARE A FIELD OF CREATURES.
99. MEAT'' IS A MOVING CAVE IN THE SOLID AIR.
-Paris 1970

* * *

MOIRÉ
for Francis Crick
1. THE CHANTING IN TIBET HAS NOT CEASED -- IT IS AS IMMORTAL AS MEAT.
2. HORNS, CYMBALS, AND LIGHTNING BOLTS OVER GLACIERS.
3. BEARDED SEA OTTERS CRACKING MUSSELS ON STONES ON THEIR STOMACHS.
4. COYOTES LAUGH AND PRANCE ON POINT REYES.
5. REVIVE THE PLEISTOCENE.
6. PLEISTOCENE IS NOT GLACIO-THERMAL -- IT IS MEAT-MAMMALIAN.
7. CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALK REFLECT THE DISPERSION OF CLOUDS AND AURAS OF COLOR.
8. REALITY IS A POINT, A PLATEAU, A MYSTERY.
9. IT MAY BE PENETRATED.
10. WI LDFLOWERS: MAN ROOT, SEPTEMBER BLACKBERRIES, MONKEYFLOWERS.
11. POEMS AND PERCEPTIONS PENETRATE THE PLATEAU.
12. SUCCULENT GARDENS HANG ON CLIFFS.
13. THE VELVET BUTTERFLY AND THE SMILING WEASEL.
14. BENIGN VISAGES FLOATING IN AIR.
15. SPIRIT IS ACTION.
16. ACTION IS PROTEIN.
17. BONES OF THE SABER TUSK IN ASPHALT.
18. MOTILE POEMS LIKE FINGERS OR ROOT TIPS.
19. AMINO TRIGGERS IN SPACE.
20. WE ARE ACTIVITY.
21. BELOW US IS STEADY AND SOLID.
22. SOON ENOUGH.
23. PERHAPS WE RETURN TO A POOL -- STEADY AND SOLID.
24. NO MATTER -- ANTI-MATTER.
25. WE HAVE THE JOY OF HERETICS.
26. WE DID NOT CHOOSE IT -- WE ARE.
27. PERFECT.
28. PERFECT PLATEAU BECOMING ODORS AND TOUCHES.
29. I DID NOT KNOW THIS IS NATURE.
30. THE BLANKET FLOWS OUT OF THE WINDOW -- ON IT ARE YELLOW BANDS WOVEN WITH RED BISON.
31. SOLID BLACKNESS ABOVE AND BELOW.
32. MUSIC BETWEEN.
33. FORESTS OF MOSS IN THE COLD STREAM.
34. BULK OF A DEAD SEA LION -- DARK EYES OPEN.
35. THE DESERT IS ALIVE.
36. THE FIR FEELS THE SOLSTICE.
37. SENSE HORIZONTALLY, ASPIRE VERTICALLY -- AGNOSIA.
38. KEATS, DIRAC, DIONYSIUS THE AREOPAGITE.
39. TRUMPETS, CYMBALS, WARM GRASS, ROAR OF A MOTORCYCLE.
40. LEATHER, QUARTZ, AND CINNAMON.
41. DISSOLUTION IS A PRIVILEGE.
42. HAIL PLANARIAN!
43. SWEET, WARM AND ODOROUS IN THE AUTUMN SUN.
44. BLACKER THAN BLACK, BLUE-BLACK -- A MIRROR REFLECTING REDS.
45. SCREAMS AND FLAMES OVER THE HORIZON.
46. CREAK OF EUCALYPTUS BOUGHS.
47. THE PLATEAU IS A POINT, THE MASK OF A DIMENSION.
48. THE MASK IS ENFORCED BY ENSOCIALIZATION OF PERCEPTIONS.
49. SEPTEMBER BLACKBERRIES ARE FREE.
50. THERE ARE STILL BLOSSOMS.
51. CONDENSATION FALLS PATTERING ON LEAVES.
52. MACHINE GUNS COMMUNICATE BULLETS.
53. BOMBS ARE SYMBOLS FOR MEAT ''THOUGHTS.
54. FACES OF MALEVOLENCE AND FOLLY STARE FROM THE WALLS.
55. FLEECE MOVING IN THE BREEZE BY THE FIRE IS LOVELY.
56. WE ARE OLD WOLVES, INDIANS, CREATURES.
57. ETERNITY BECOMES BROWN-GOLD FOR AN INSTANT.
58. TIME IS THE LONG WAY BACK.
59. IGNORANCE, LIKE INFORMATION, IS A LEVER.
60. THE BODY''S ODORS -- THE BERRY''S ODORS.
61. THE MASS OF INFORMATION WHITES OUT.
62. RAINBOW AGAINST WHITE -- PROJECTED ON BLACK.
63. THE SELVES FLYING THROUGH THE BODY HAVE FACES.
64. THEY STREAM WITH TAILS OF COLORS.
65. SENSATION MAY PRECEDE INFORMATION.
66. WE DIVE BOTH DOWN AND OUTWARD.
67. SOLIDITY AND VIBRATION.
68. UNEXPECTED PROFILES AND FACES.
69. THE BRAMBLE TANGLE IS A MOVING SCULPTURE.
70. DRAGONS OF SPACE AND MATTER.
71. FALSE PERCEPTIONS MIMIC THE REAL -- A COVER.
72. THE BODY MAY BE DIAGRAMMED WITH COLORS AND ODORS.
73. THERE IS A FIRE AND TRAJECTORIES OF ENERGIES.
74. BEYOND THE MASK OF THE POINT ARE TRILLIONIC INTERLOCKED CONSTELLATIONS.
75. PLEASURES ARE NOT RELATIVE BUT ACTUAL -- BLACKBERRIES, SEA LIONS, TENDRILS.
76. PERCEPTIONS ARE HERETIC -- THEY NEGATE ABSENCE.
77. ABSENCE IS LACK OF PERCEPTION.
78. THE MUSSEL SHELL CRACKS ON THE ROCK.
79. WAVES OF WATER AND PROTOPLASM.
80. COYOTE SHIT -- THE TAJ MAHAL.
81. WINGED TIGERS ENCASED IN TRANSPARENT SILVER.
82. MY WHISKERS -- THE WOLF''S BEARD.

----------

from Jaguar Skies (1975)
________________________________________
SONG
I''M AN EAGLE IN THE WHIRLPOOL.
I''m the fox of reason.
I have had my head bent for truth and treason.
I''m a star in the sunny moon light.
I''m the stumbling fool.
I''m the horse of night
careening on the cliff of flight.
Won''t you kiss me?
Won''t you hug me?
Please
tell me my name.
I''m the hand of April
with my fingers made of fame.
Come kiss me on my elbow.
Bless
my
mind
good night.
Sweet old flame.
Sweet old flame.
Bless my mind goodnight.
Come kiss me on my elbow.
With my fingers made of fame,
I''m the hand of April.
Tell me my name.
Please,
won''t you hug me?
Won''t you kiss me?
Careening on the cliff of flight.
I''m the horse of night.
I''m the stumbling fool.
I''m a star in the sunny noon light.
I have had my head bent for truth and treason.
I''m the fox of reason.
I''m an eagle in the whirlpool.

* * *

воEL CERRO ES NUESTRO!
THE FLAME IS OURS!
We are the candle
that holds itself
aloft.
We are the Andes
among creatures
and our hands are soft
and our cotex
is a beacon
as are our toes.
You and I
are a river of light
that pours
and gleams
in
the
blue-black
snows.
We are perfect
as the tooth
of a squirrel!
--Lima-Huancayo railroad, Peru
________________________________________
from Antechamber 1978
________________________________________
THE RAINS OF FEBRUARY
THERE''S CRUELTY IN
EVERY JEWEL
and each black lump
of coal
was once
a multitude
of lives.
Within his skin
each guru
holds a fool
but
none
like
me
who secretly contrives
a liberation
filled with buttercups
and blue-eyed grass
and golden tracks of spring
upon the hill
and air that''s filled
with scent of rose
and dill.
* * *
SESTINA
WE ARE WHITE FLAMES IN BLACK
and we are silver candles,
smiles on roses,
newborn babes,
otter consciousness,
and night shades.
We are ghostly shades
and the shapes of black
bonfires that melt through consciousness.
Perceptions are candles
and we are babes
who imagine the thorns of roses.
The petals of roses
make pink and blue shades
and scents over babes
who fear no black
candles
in the hugeness of consciousness.
We are the autumn of consciousness
giving birth to spring roses
by the silverware next to the candles.
Not all of the shades
nor all of the purple and black
convinces us we are other than babes.
You know we are babes.
Each thing is our consciousness.
The caves is black
but it is filled with roses
--and though we draw the shades
we light the candles.
The bright glow is from the candles
in the hands of babes
who outline the shades
of perception in consciousness.
See there are roses!
They stand in the black.
Those are candles of consciousness
that show we are babes and floating roses.
We are shades of flesh turning on black.