Brian Baumgarn Poet Free verse

Before Ferlinghetti

He did it before
his voice was trained in song,
singing joyfully.
He did it before
his legs were strong to run,
striding free through waving fields
of golden grass.
He did it before 
his eyes could focus as to see, 
searching and reaching,
to touch, feel, and experience.
He did it before 
his palate was competent to savor
the sweet syrup of human
experience, tasting anyway.
He did it before
his mind had mastered
words, communication, and language.
Writing nevertheless.
He did it using 
the tools of his mind and senses to
hone and sharpen perception.
He did it,
turning over the soils of reality,
to deepen the well of his being.

                         Before Ferlinghetti
                         7-8-15 b.b.

"Poets come out of your closets, open your windows,
 open your doors. You have been holed-up too long.
 Poets descend to the streets of the world once more
 and open your minds and eyes......
 Poetry is dead, long live poetry."

                           Populist Manifesto #1 
                           Lawrence Ferlinghetti

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Richard Lamoureux July 15, 2015 at 8:04 AM My pleasure Brian.

Richard Lamoureux July 14, 2015 at 8:14 AM I like this as well Brian. Adding the quote at the end was also a nice touch. Brian Baumgarn July 14, 2015 at 11:29 PM I just went back and re-read some of Ferlinghetti's stuff last week. Some people didn't much like the "beat" generation writers. Manifesto is really a plea for poets to get back into the stream of life and write about it. So, all of us who now enjoy writing are doing what he asked so many years ago. Thanks, again, Richard

Tim Smith July 8, 2015 at 11:38 AM I really like this Brian. I sure have to check out his manifesto....Tim Brian Baumgarn July 9, 2015 at 2:02 AM Yea, Tim, I read up a little on the "beat" writers, and artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning. All wanted to stretch boundaries. Ferlinghetti and Ginsberg did, with Kerouac. Manifesto is a sincere plea for poets to get back out in life and record it honestly, again, Thanks for commenting, Tim.