H e a r t S o n s & H e a r t D a u g h t e r s of A l l e n G i n s b e r g

N a p a l m H e a l t h S p a : R e p o r t 2 0 1 4 : A r c h i v e s E d i t i o n

ALI ZARRIN

For Allen

I woke up to reading Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s poems

written in memoriam for Allen Ginsberg

speaking in ethereal tongue about an ethereal being

I began asking: Allen, what do you think

of our predicament, our petty dictators

their New World Order; what questions would you ask me

as you did in the past about the Persian Gulf War;

your inquisitive mind eager to learn, urging me

to tell you my tale as we go shopping at the Good Will,

searching for white shorts and shirts, pots and pans and utensils,

as we eat your home-cooked vegetarian lunch in your apartment?

What would you write about the Patriot Act

my naked American Buddhist

gay millionaire poet

What would you feel about 9/11

and those Americans thirsty for revenge

the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq,

you who admire my poetic heritage

“The rich poetry of Ferdowsi, Khayyam, Rumi, & Hafez”

What would you think of bombing Iran,

the looting of Iraq’s ancient artifacts

from its museums while American army stood by?

America exporting its democracy

With its bombs and fighter jets.

What would you have written,

the great political bard of America?