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By Misti Date: 2002 Jun 14 Comment on this Work [[2002.06.14.11.09.11917]] |
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I hope when your mother is reading you fairy tales you aren't listening too hard. I hope when you're watching those damn Disney movies you aren't so entranced you begin to build the foundation in your mind for the One True Love who doesn't exist. I know you've been taught all the Bible stories but I hope you find Darwin, somehow, and Plato and Huxley. I wish you Another Roadside Attraction and Slaughterhouse-Five early on, before you're married to your parents' belief system. I wish you confessional poetry. Poetry that has been somewhere. Poetry that hangs it all out to wash. Poetry with a one two sucker punch to the gut. Poetry that doesn't apologize. If you read poetry that moons over lost love and wrings its hands and whines that's fine... but don't take Poe too seriously. He died in the gutter. Read The Rosy Crucifixion and Crazy Cock and Black Spring. Anything by Henry Miller. Realize what it means to take endless romantic risks. Realize the psychic death involved. If you can't get past the sleaze to the stars spinning and laughing, if all you see is the sex in Miller's prose and think "pervert"... then listen to Billie Holiday cds in the dark. Especially the ones where her beautiful voice is almost gone. She'll spell it out for you. After you've listened to Billie Holiday listen to Babes in Toyland, Bikini Kill, Hole, Seven Year Bitch, L7. Listen to the Sex Pistols and the Clash and the Church and the Ramones and Blur. Don't listen to Hootie and the Blowfish. If you must listen to the Beatles, listen to "A Day in the Life" and all of "Abbey Road" (you might want to skip the octopus song) and I don't care what anyone might tell you... "Magical Mystery Tour" is a kick ass album. Listen to "I Am the Walrus" and don't even try to figure it out. Just listen and smile. Don't listen to "Please Please Me" and "Girl" and "All My Loving" and get all misty-eyed and wistful. Read about the Beatles. Read about Hamburg. Read about Stu Sutcliffe. Don't get sentimental. Appreciate the smart lyrics and sublime music and leave it at that. My girl, someday you'll meet me and want to know what it's all about. I won't be able to tell you. I can loan you my books and cds. I can show you all the pictures and tell you all the stories and maybe even show you a few of my poems. But beyond that, I won't have any answers for you. Only several suggestions and examples of what not to do. Other people will beguile you with soul mate stories. Don't listen to them. Don't envy them. I don't care how happy and certain they are. If it happened for them, great... it only happens for a select few. And it doesn't make them superior. It doesn't mean they smell better or have better hearts or minds or know any more answers than the rest of us. If you can't find one woman or man who puts the butterflies in your tummy and makes each day yummy and helium floatin' crazy, don't beat yourself up. Don't settle for anyone who makes you feel less than the superstar you are. Don't walk through Central Park with blinders on. Don't avoid Macy's because you can only afford Sears. Have fun with love, regardless. Poke fun at it, tease it, make new rules and ignore the fools who tell you it is neat and moralistic. It isn't. Love is all over the place. Grab all the love you want. And when you're breaking hearts try to be gentle... remember Billie Holiday in the dark. She'll spell it out for you. |