
THE INVERTED SQUARE – A PROBLEM IN SOCIAL GEOMETRY (FOR FERLINGHETTI)
I SEEN THE SMALLEST MINDS OF MY GENERATION
ASSUME THE WORLD ENDS AT ELLIS ISLAND,
THAT IT’S CAPITOL IS NORTH BEACH,
AND FILLMORE IS A NIGHTTOWN STREET
FOR WEARY INTELLECTUALS.
MAN, THERE WERE NO HYPES AT STALINGRAD
AND MALCOLM X IS REAL!
SPARE US THE CAVILS OF THE NIHILISTIC BEATS
WHO CRITICIZE THE CAVITIES AND CONTOURS OF THEIR NEST
BUT NEVER LEAVE IT.
WARM IN ITS FILTH,
MAGGOTS IN A ROTTEN APPLE,
WITH THEIR LITTLE PEN OR PAINTBRUSH
THEY DERIDE THE FILTH THEY FEED ON,
THEY FLUTTER BUT THEY NEVER FLY.
LITTLE BEAT BEARDED BOHEMIAN BROTHER,
THERE ARE CAPITOLS IN THIS UNIVERSE
BEYOND YOUR BAGEL SHOPS AND BOOKSTORES.
BANDUNG WAS NO CHIMERA, NOR CAIRO –
YOU THINK WE ARE SO DIFFERENT FROM EGYPTIANS?
OR THOSE IN TRES MARIAS WITH ZAPATA?
BIRD SANG SWEET, BUT SWEETER IS THE SONG OF LA HABANA
AND ITS ECHO DEEP IN MONROE COUNTY
SWINGS, MAN, AND YOU ARE NOT WITH IT.
MAN, LIKE,
WHEN YOU TIRE OF POT
TRY THOUGHT.