Online Poems by Jessica Hagedorn
Sorcery
there are some people i know
whose beauty
is a crime.
who make you so crazy
you don't know
whether to throw yourself
at them
or kill them.
which makes
for permanent madness.
which could be
bad for you.
you better be on the lookout
for such circumstances.
stay away
from the night.
they most likely lurk
in the corners of the room
where they think
they being inconspicuous
but they so beautiful
an aura
gives them away.
stay away
form the day.
they most likely
be walking
down the street
when you least
expect it
trying to look
ordinary
but they so fine
they break your heart
by making you dream
of other possibilities.
stay away
from crazy music.
they most likely
be creating it
cuz
when you're that beautiful
you can't help
putting it out there.
everyone knows
how dangerous
that can get.
stay away
from magic shows.
especially those
involving words
words are very
tricky things.
everyone knows
words
the most common
instruments of
illusion.
they most likey
be saying them.
breathing poems
so rhythmic
you can't help
but dance.
and once
you start dancing
to words
you might never
stop.
Source: http://www.oberlin.edu/~mjerzak/hagedorn1.html
Something About You
this is for ntozake
of the painted sacred monkeys
on the beaches of the caribbean
the chinese ladies weep
into their ivory fans
as she dances the bomba
and this is for pedro
in brooklyn and puerto rico
and the beautiful blueness
of the water of my voice
the music will save you
from madness
if you listen
and this is for the rose who is dead
and thulani with the moon in her hair
this is for the cartoon lady ifa
of the planet venus with the green eyes
and the darkness of her
that all new orleans weeps
as she dances for lena horne
and dorothy dandridge
who is dead
and this is for the wizard
who swallows his tears
like diamonds
lost in the caves
of his gentle throat
the music will consume your sadness
if you keep singing
this is for the one whose aura was silver
and this is for the man
who chases butterflies and alcoholics
in latin nightclub dreams
and kisses me with zoom lenses
on the beaches of the hollywood freeway
all the hibiscus bloom
as you devour iguanas
and this is for the men who loved me
and the one i loved
and the child who is a mirror
this is for the one who bears light
who is the color of egypt
the cuban drummers are joyous
when nashira moves across the floor
of crying laughter
something about you
all of us
with songs inside
knifing the air of sorrow
with our dance
a carnival of spirits
shredded blossoms
in the waterSource: http://www.oberlin.edu/~mjerzak/hagedorn2.html
Stigmata
A WOMAN NAILED TO A CROSS. CONTRARY TO POPULAR OPINION, SHE IS NOT
BLEEDING.
A WOMAN SUSPENDED IN A RED VOID. HER LEGS ARE SPREAD, THE PALMS OF HER HANDS UP . .
. IN A GESTURE OF . . . SUPPLICATION? BESEECHING?
IS SHE SCREAMING OR LAUGHING? HER LEGS ARE CROSSED, TIGHT, FOLDED, CLOSED. WHAT IS POSSIBLE IS NOT VISIBLE. SHE POURS HOT WAX ON HER BALD, BENT HEAD. SHE HOWLS EVEN WHEN SHE SLEEPS. SHE'S A SCAMMER, A THIEF, THE EMPRESS OF SORROW, THE QUEEN OF SELF-PITY. SHE PAINTS EVERYTHING GOLD: THE STOVE, THE REFRIGERATOR, THE RADIO, THE BED, THE PLATES, AND THE SILVER. MIDASIAN MEDEA THE MEDUSA A CLUSTER OF SPIKES NOT SNAKES.
HER CROWN OF THORNS.
DISSATISFIED WITH HER ROLE AS SPECTATOR, BORED OUT OF HER GOURD, SHE CAUSES SCENES AND CREATES SPECTACLES.
IN ONE VERSION, A BLACK MAN, ALSO PAINTED GOLD, HANGS DEAD FROM A TREE. IT'S A PROVOCATIVE IMAGE, A CRASH COURSE THAT'S GOT TONGUES WAGGING. IS THE BLACK MAN IN COLLUSION? A PERFORMER OR A LIFE-SIZE MANNEQUIN? A SELL-OUT OR A VISIONARY?
EXACTLY THREE FEET AWAY, SHE HAS SET A TABLE FOR ONE WITH A LACE CLOTH, PLATE, FORK, KNIFE, SOUP SPOON, TEASPOON, GOBLET, AND GOLD LAME NAPKIN. A SHIMMER OF GOLD DUST SPRAYED ON EVERYTHING WE SEE, THE HANGMAN'S NOOSE A GHASTLY CHANDELIER.
THEN THE SNAP IS SHOT, THE VIDEO VIDEOED, THE AUDIO TAPED & LOOPED, THE LAUGH & APPLAUSE TRACKS CUED UP, THE NIGHTMARE PERMANENTLY INSTALLED.
IF HE'S PAINTED GOLD, HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW HE'S BLACK?
YOU'LL KNOW.
A STILL FROM "DUEL IN THE SUN" STARRING JENNIFER JONES AS HALF-BREED IS BLOWN-UP SO BIG, HER IMAGE IS LOST IN A BLUR OF DOTS AND GRAIN. FOR THIS MOVIE, THE ACTRESS' SKIN HAS BEEN STAINED WITH WALNUTS. THE ROLE IS TYPICAL. WE FORGIVE HER -- SHE TRIES HARD TO BE FIERY, TO SMOLDER WITH PASSION AS SHE TORMENTS GREGORY PECK AND . . . WHO WAS THAT OTHER GUY?
ELVIS PRESLEY AS HALF-BREED WITH BLUE EYES IN "FLAMING STAR." MARLON BRANDO IN "TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON." THAT'S EASY -- BUT EVEN MORE CONFUSING AND INFURIATING, RICARDO MONTALBAN IN "SAYONARA." A MEXICAN PLAYING JAPANESE -- BUT THEN AGAIN, TOSHIRO MIFUNE USED TO ACT IN MEXICAN MOVIES. AS A MEXICAN. IN MEXICO.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
THERE'S A WOLF IN PIMP'S CLOTHING LEERING AT CARMEN MIRANDA IN A CAFE. IT'S THE LOUP GAROU KID, THE LOOP GARROT, THE COYOTE HYENA JACKAL WHO INVADES YOUR DREAMS. MAYBE IT'S NOT A CAFE, BUT A SMOKEY CABARET IN POST-WAR BERLIN. THE BERLIN OF DIETRICH -- THAT'S ALWAYS A RELIABLE IMAGE, ISN'T IT?
EASY.
WHO GIVES A SHIT? EASY IS OKAY -- OKAY TO STRIVE TO BE ACCESSIBLE, RELIABLE, EASY --
WHO'S THE REAL SNOB? THE BOOOGEE-BRAT?
ANYWAY.
CARMEN IS BEN OVER, WHILE A DONKEY DRESSED LIKE A MAN FUCKS HER FROM BEHIND. WE'RE IN TIJUANA. IT'S 1958, A MAN IN A PITH HELMET IS TAKING PICTURES AND MEASURING THE DONKEY'S ENORMOUS . . .
WHAT COLOR IS HE?
DONKEY, MAN, OR ANTHROPOLOGIST?
WHITE, OF COURSE.
AH HA.
DOES THAT MAKE IT ACCEPTABLE?
AND WHAT ABOUT CARMEN?
MIRANDA?
AH HA.
DOES THAT MAKE IT PAINFUL?
-----
WHAT?
-----
WATCH OUT YOUR DON'T START.
WHAT?
SOUNDING LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
WHO?
THOSE PEOPLE YOU DESPISE.
AH HA.
TELL ME.
AGAIN?
AGAIN.
THE WOMAN NAILED TO A CROSS --
FROM THE BEGINNING.
Source: http://www.tribes.org/vol1/hagedf91.htm
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