David Gitin: 5 From San Francisco in the Sixties

Outstretched Arms

pumice the bone smooth
berry juice illusion of blood
to cover loss

belly of the moon
we penetrate
what Venus

do we carve?
herbs and drugs do not restore
territories of resurrection

Earth poised in soma
television chronicles
missile finger fascination

sea-scorpions
and horseshoe crabs
will survive us

To Pharoah

cork
chips

thirst
to unplug the bottle

inhale its vapors
wooden
gears behind eyes

turn slowly
like the crocodile
to feel dreams

float
underwater

rockskirted sirens
weave dark shadows

hands rise and fall
courage to continue

all those I am
that I was
ask
to be delivered

firstborn
all that we kill to know

far up red mountain
sheep are blue
the air burns
the throat of a horse

The Ocean

bones

of dead fish

at my shoes

day

settles in the calm of a Coltrane

ballad

you don't knowwhat love is

an ache away from the desperateall

or nothing at all

No Depression

after the funeral
of Chocolate George
The Hells Angels
gave a party

with music by The Dead
and Big Brother
beer and dope
courtesy of the Angels

Light Show

lightmakers
dyes in flasks, wheels and cut cardboard
project Alpine Buddhahood King Kong delight
plastic amoebae brown birds Irish dancing statues mosaic

discs juggled in alchemical pools
dervish arms flutelung cries drums
honeycomb lasso moths carpets ladders
inkpot larvae breasthills on the bridge

sorcerers keep the cave
flicker phantom eternity
red meadow clam lip scarves
churchyard vanilla green thighs

high frequency jabs of sound
cross the screen of personal identity
frogtree saxophone blurred core of etherbones
vacuum tapestries

about David Gitin

David Gitin lived in San Francisco in the late sixties,
co-founded Poets Theater there, edited Bricoleur, and produced poetry programs for KPFA in Berkeley.

His books include THIS ONCE and FIRE DANCE (Blue Wind Press), among others. Currently he lives in Monterey.

photo by Claudia Villela