THOM THE WORLD POET: The Daily Poem

Rob Ayling, yer Gonzo Grande Fromage, 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 appearances with Daevid Allen, Gilli Smyth and 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 within 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?"

EARLY ADOLESCENCE 

I think perhaps

I am a different generation --

the one prior to your Mickey Mouses and Beach Balls.

I had a different set of heroes,

and mine all rode horses.

At the edge of town,

down the block from the ancient Hotel Roosevelt 

(where rumor was rampant in high school

that the Roosevelt was where 

the dashing boys from the air base

went to pick up -- whores!),

there, in the darkened movie theater "The Ritz,"

replete with the scent of the popcorn

my allowance didn't run to buying,

I would sit on the edge of my seat

and watch Roy Rogers and his palomino horse Trigger

and his girlfriend Dale Evans;

listen to Gene Autry sing cowboy songs

between chasing scurvy cattle rustlers,

thrill to the Lone Ranger's "Hi yo, Silver, awaaay!"

and the adventures of Hop-a-Long Cassidy,

giggle at side-kick Gabby Hayes,

and wonder what was going on in the episode

of the serial adventure

that I never got to see in sequence.

(In my movies

you always knew who the good guys were

because they wore white Stetsons

and the bad guys wore beat-up black ten-gallon hats.)