The RetroLounge Daily Poem Thread (Wed 7/16/2008)

[RetroLounge]

Ode to the Perineum

          Maybe the soul is only a small place on the body--Larry Levis

And maybe not. Maybe the invisible filament that flickers
      in the idea of the soul is the soul.
           Some hummingbird of the universal mind--
brightly colored, precise and infinitely quick.

And dull. It shouldn’t be, in any case, as intimate
      as say, the perineum, that pleasurable
           one millionth acre
of nerves that lies between the asshole and the valleying

gradual beginning of our sex. No, the soul can’t be that
      close by and so inappropriate
           that to speak of it now
is to cross over into the language of the body and of

the hidden crevasses of the body. Well, the hummingbird
      now floats over a rose although
           such a symbol for the soul
to be honest must include the microscopic blue turds

thudding lightly onto the grass wherever that hummingbird,
      for you, will pass. I prefer the taint,
           this prairie of pure desire
so secret even the body knows little of its power until quietly

reminded we buck like a horse on some Mississippi street.
      This deep true south of ourselves.
           Patch of the promised land.
Kingdom of the cartwheel and the lazy falling handstand

in swimming pools. I praise the carnival hairs sprouting
      there like trees Dr. Seuss drew
           in a forbidden mood
and I praise blue moons, kazoos and white hot rivers

with fiery canoes in that vision of scramble pleasure
      makes us live through and I praise
           this small place on the body
that might be the soul. Hinge from which our legs swing.

Tingling thing. Like the soft spot on a baby’s head,
      this fragile holy span,
           must be praised now and then
with all the gentle force that words can stand.

Steve Scafidi

************************

:hi:

RL

[xchrom]

1. ...

And dull. It shouldn’t be, in any case, as intimate
      as say, the perineum, that pleasurable
           one millionth acre
of nerves that lies between the asshole and the valleying

gradual beginning of our sex. No, the soul can’t be that
      close by and so inappropriate
           that to speak of it now
is to cross over into the language of the body and of

the hidden crevasses of the body.

[lizziegrace]

2. Hello love...

:hug:


:loveya:

[xchrom]

3. hey you!

:hug: :hi:

[lizziegrace]

6. ...

:*

[RetroLounge]

4. Glad somebody still reads and comments on these...

:hi:

RL

[BlueIris]

5. It is frustrating, isn't it?

Le sigh.

[xchrom]

12. i love 'em

and this one in particular.

:9

[RetroLounge]

17. ...

:hug:

RL

[ulysses]

7. question on these, Retro:

Do you have in mind commentary on what's posted, or people posting their own or other work, or does it matter?

[RetroLounge]

8. I prefer people post their own or others outside these threads

and either comment on the poem, or just wave and say hi is fine too...

:hi:

RL

[ulysses]

9. ok.

Thanks. :)

[RetroLounge]

10. If people post their own they tend to get lost...

since no one reads these anyhow...

:D

RL

[ulysses]

11. oh, believe me,

I ran a poetry ezine for some years. I know the readership isn't huge. :)

[kat_kringle]

13. this brought to mind

erm, i think it was ginsberg's 'please master'

i could be totally off about the title and author, but hopefully you understand what i mean.

peace!

[RetroLounge]

16. No, you got it exactly right...

and holy shite! I was not familiar with that poem...

Here's a link, as posting it might get this thread deleted.

http://oldpoetry.com/opoem/7664-Allen-Ginsberg-Please-Master

Thanks for the heads up! And welcome to DU & the poetry threads!

:hi:

RL

[Swede]

14. What kind of poem is this?

I kid. Carnal and soulful.

[RetroLounge]

15. Hee...

It shows me that anything can be a topic for a poem.

:hi:

RL