Tuesday, 9 October 2012

THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem


Rob Ayling writes: 

"Thom the World poet, is an old mate of mine from way back in my history. Even pre-dating Voiceprint, when I was running "Otter Songs" and Tom's poetry tapes and guest appearences with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth, Mother Gong are well known and highly regarded. It just felt right to include a daily poem from Thom on our Gonzo blog and when I approached him to do so, he replied with in seconds!!! Thom is a great talent and just wants to spread poetry, light and positive energy across the globe. If we at Gonzo can help him do that - why not? why not indeed!!" (The wondrous poetpic is by Jack McCabe, who I hope forgives me for scribbling all over it with Photoshop)


"A message in a bottle from the shipwreck of mankind"
(Adorno on Schoenberg)

Frank Zappa embraced musical composition after hearing Schoenberg's works
Stravinsky's "Rites of Spring" sparked Parisian riots. John Cage made silence into text.
Phillip Glass and David Mamet (repetition, repetition, repetition)
Atonal age. Dissonance. Dissidents. Anti-Romantic as street art, flash mobs, graffitti and tagging.
Evocations of a Classical Age become orchestral museums/replayed themes.
Roll out the Proms! Bring Beethoven back! Wagner for Hitler! Handel for England!
Post-beauty, embrace horror. Centuries of wars, pillage, plunder.
Philosophers post-Hobbes must incorporate Holocausts.
Adorno to Judith Butler. Where did Beauty hide during wartime?
How speak of waterboarding, torture, solitary confinement?
Requiems defeat us.military marches make more funerals.
Bagpipes sound war. We seek harmonies/poetry, art, philosophy.
Yet this age is in shock. Broken text Tweets. Blogs. Facebook 'Likes"
Cursive untaught. Calligraphy gone the way of abacus. Classical texts unread
Do not say your KINDLE kindles passion. Splintered age/cut, wounded
Our language silent as a coffee shop computer occupation.
We are all wired here. Our earphones iTunes access Stravinsky /Schoenberg
But we are actually listening to Pearl Jam/Nirvana.

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