SECTION TWELVE
POETRY PAGE THREE

sm
COLUMN 108, AUGUST 1, 2004
(Copyright © 2004 The Blacklisted Journalist)

                                   #126
            "
ask me now?
                               
   
for edward sanders  

standing at the finish line
of the boston marathon
in the middle of april  

when americans pay their taxes
under penalty of seizure
or imprisonment,  

thinking about boston harbor
where the american patriots
dressed up like natives  

& stormed the british ships
to throw overboard
the hated crates of tea?  

on this patriots day
at the end of a long & difficult run
let us rededicate ourselves            

to the freedom & justice
our ancestors intended
when they founded this nation  

& fought here in boston
& throughout new england
for the freedom of our country

& the right
to govern ourselves
as best we can, for better  

or for worse,
however imperfect
or misguided?oh  

let these truths
be self-evident,
that we shall be free to worship  

as we may see fit,
that there are many people
& they have many different gods,  

that what may be fit for you
just might not work for me
but let us live in peace together  

& let us share our riches
with those among us
who have none,  

& let the future of our nation
be secured by the intelligence
& creativity,  

by the compassion
& commitment of our citizens
to the future of humanity itself  

& to all people everywhere
who toil with us
here on earth, to make a living  

for ourselves & our families,
to enjoy the fruits
of our labors, & fully partake  

in the pleasures of life,
liberty.
& the pursuit of happiness,  

in whatever forms
it may present to us
for our enrichment  

while we exercise the freedoms
guaranteed by our constitution?
to be free from armed invaders  

in the comfort of our homes,
free to say or believe in
anything we might want to,  

free to meet & mingle
with our friends, whomsoever
they may be,

free to get as high
as we want to, & enjoy all the substances
our happiness may require,  

free to dance & sing,
free to make love with
whomsoever we may please,  

free to have children
or not have children
as we may see fit,  

free to live outside 'the dictates
of conventional society?
like true americans,  

open-minded,
humanitarian,
tolerant of the differences between us,  

quick to accept,
slow to anger,
loath to harm or destroy?  

so let the word go forth
from boston today: yes, let us re-
dedicate ourselves  

to the freedom & justice
our ancestors intended
when they founded this great nation  

"new orleans.
march 26/april 12?13, 2002/
ann arbor
april 11, 2002/
boston
april 14?15, 2002/
detroit
july 30, 2003/
rotterdam
january 8, 2004

from thelonious: a book of monk
"
2002, 2004 john sinclair. all rights reserved. ##


FOR AS LONG AS PEOPLE KEEP LISTENING TO BOB DYLAN AND THE BEATLES, PEOPLE WILL WANT THIS BOOK

"A masterpiece!" --- SALLY GROSSMAN, widow of Bob Dylan's brilliant original manager, Albert Grossman.

"This book is a must-read for all rock 'n roll aficionados!"---EAR CANDY

"An essential reference for demystifying what the author refers to as: 'one of the most self-destructive binges of creativity in cultural history.'"---HAMMOND GUTHRIE, COUNTERPUNCH MAGAZINE

"Required Reading for anyone and everyone who considers themselves fans, followers, students, or those just plain curious of the Golden Age of Popular Music"---GARY PIG GOLD, FUFKIN.COM.

"I love the book. I love the way you can open it to any page and start reading and it keeps you reading. The book is just fun to read." --LEVON HELM, Drummer of THE BAND from Big Pink.

"Ellis Paul and I love your book."---RALPH JACCODINE, Ralph Jaccodine Management.

". . .perfect for our times."---WOODSTOCK TIMES

"Adam Duritz (he's the lead singer and writer for the famed Counting Crows). . .was at my studio and couldn't put the book down."---STEWART LERMAN, RIGHTEOUS SOUND INC.

". . .a must read for anyone who loves, music, loves life, loves rock and roll."---TSAURAH LITZKY, author of The Motion of the Ocean, Baby on the Water, and  Goodbye Beautiful Mother.  

"I recommend it."---DOUGLAS HOLDER, IBBETSON STREET PRESS.  

".  . .It is a fasinating, insightful read. You are such a wonderful writer."---STEPHANIE LEDGIN, Music Journalist.

"I could not put this book of yours down for a minute."---ED GALING, POET LAUREATE OF HATBORO, PA.

IN THIS 615-PAGE PAPERBACK, AL ARONOWITZ, ACCLAIMED AS THE "GODFATHER OF ROCK JOURNALISM," TELLS YOU MORE ABOUT BOB DYLAN AND THE BEATLES THAN ANY OTHER WRITER CAN TELL YOU BECAUSE NO OTHER WRITER WAS THERE AT THE TIME. AS THE MAN WHO INTRODUCED ALLEN GINSBERG TO BOB DYLAN, BOB DYLAN TO THE BEATLES AND THE BEATLES TO MARIJUANA, ARONOWITZ BOASTS, "THE '60S WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN THE SAME WITHOUT ME."


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