N a p a l m H e a l t h S p a :
R e p o r t 2 0 1 3
: S p e c i a l E d i t i o n
L o n g P o e m M a s t e r p i e c e s o f t h e
P o s t b e a t s
STEVE DALACHINSKY
The Leaves Are Changing
the leaves are changing
somewhere outside
brewster
it’s rare that we leave
new york
the island but here
we’re moving with the
changing leaves
north
on interstate weeping willow
slowly changing
it’s early in the season
& there are “natural
points
of change within
a given time”
cross river
we bare
exit 6 closing
I-684 is
that way brewster 11
prawling 23
i think it said
we are borne forward
on peter pan’s
back
carried changing
by people professionals
wards of the lake & solar
system
carried like stars
on the poets’
backs.
the second best thing to do
during a lifetime
is to plan a revo
lution
the first best thing
is to revolt
the last best thing
is to know what you’ve done
& why
hard thinking
like rearranging
all those
letters
in a
scrabble
box
coke & lots of
land
for
sale
kerouac told whalen
in a letter dated 12-4-68
call me phil call
me
my # in st.pete
is
343-1541
road work for the next mile
don’t give this # to
anyone
i don’t want visitors
i’ll strangle
‘em
the first thing is
to plan your
life
the second thing
is to live
it
kerouac told whalen
to return his
books
he told whalen not to worry
to move somewhere
do something else
maybe
(the leaves where they have begun
to show red
show such a red
not red light or
emergency
but a subtle change of
life)
a sign says CHARLES IVES CENTER
kerouac wants that copy
of blake’s jerusalem
back -
a sign planted on the cemetery lawn
says
TRAVEL SERVICES
the second thing is to hunt
the first is to let your prey
go
free
maple & fir
they never change in
this water
town
this highway of exits &
bridges &
footing (s)
the willow chases the wind
away
the wind wanders down the
highway
& into the small city
it rests atop
1 of the 2 main spires
of the
mother church
where angels dwell
sleeping weeping
thinking staring
praying
kerouac mentions
other books as well
he’s drunk
he has been hit in the head
with all that television has
made
available to
him
he wants to write as much
as he can
& read
& rest
& drink
he wouldn’t mind whalen’s
company
but doesn’t really seek
too many other
visitors
food - phone - gas
-
lodging
god’s gymnasium
the last best thing about the
leaves
is when they start still
moist
falling & forming
a carpet of reds
yellows & all the fire
colors
on the ground
the first best thing
is to know they’ll
change
the second best thing
is when pretty much all of
them
have changed
& the leaves are still on
the
branches
then they start
drying
& making noise
& winter comes
& the trees look cold
& you wonder
how they can stand
being
so
naked
kerouac says to whalen
that he’s gonna build
a big fenced-in-out-
door
library
in his backyard
he’ll sit all day
read
write
& drink boilermakers
& look at
his georgia pine
his banyon tree
& his bush tree of some
kind
that’s at least 25 ft high
well phil
take care of yourself
the leaves are changing
they’re free & the
reds & yellow-oranges
are softly
creeping thru the greens
don’t meditate too much
food phone gas lodging
are not far
away
my letter
is safe under
glass
at the public library
along with my dreams
& some of the dharma
the shoulder is closed
this life is a new town
a blasting zone
a blue colony a diesel
under glass maybe
the color won’t change
much more
will not go brown
& brittle
like the leaves
when their changes are complete
& when the
blasting zone ends
the best music
the best
fishmonger
the best refuge
is peter pan’s
back
above the clouds
as the rain
starts falling
east
on I-
84
food
phone
gas
lodging
let’s ride together into the corner of this room
let’s lie together beneath the fast drying leaves
let’s sing
deaf
but hearing every sound
let’s blow
together
like the wind down the
highway
let’s stop together on asylum
street
beneath the golden dome
let’s walk thru the capitals
of heaven
like 2 naked trees that just
won the jackpot
& straight/talk our way
into warmth
flags wave
let’s stop pretending
that we’ve seen all this
before
the leaves are changing
for the first
time
the
leaves are
changing.
9-22-94
[“The Leaves Are Changing”
has appeared in various publications as well as in video. Permission to reprint
provided by the author.]