A week of readings for a year's end: Party

"New Father Time (to Allen Ginsberg)"
M Bromberg

Dear Allen

I'm proposing you new Father Time
for this third millennium
a thousand-year party
no more blackrob'd old man icon
no more ancient doddering fool
no more hourglass or crook'd scythe

in Prague 1965
you were King of the May
this should be a piece of cake
what d'you say

you in top hat stars & stripes
with harmonium at your side
bearded smiling (or serious too
in hornrimm'd glasses)
with a young man always there
St. Peter Orlovsky
ready to hoist yr pump organ

the new millennial hip Father Time
what d'you say
satisfaction guaranteed
or your millennium back ...

dear Allen

I wonder what you're doing this new years eve
it must be some crazy scene
Jesus & Mohammed
Coltrane blowing "Ascension"
Walt putting the moves on Neal
Jack and Guatama discussing the dharma
you and Peter rolling the joints
(finest gage at low low prices)
imagine the conversation
poetics and transcendence
a love supreme ... a love supreme ...

(pls tell Whitman
we share the same birthday May 31)

later
it's no time for talk
party hats askew after serious drink
give Jack that bliss'd out sloppy kiss
let Bill cop the immaculate fix
keep Neal away from the hydrogen jukebox
but let him drive the bus

most of all new Father Time
slip America the dope of hope
this new year's eve
give America the big-hope midnight kiss
to last a thousand years
to last a thousand years
to last a thousand years
to last a thousand years
let it be enough
to last a thousand years

Let there finally be enough
enough America to get it right
enough time to get it right
enough love to get it right
enough peace to get it right
enough hope to get it right
enough daylight to get it right
enough night


(photo of Allen Ginsberg by Fred McDarrah, New York City 1966)