Lynne Bronstein's Venice Poems
Eavesdropping on the Boardwalk
John Thomas and Philomene Long
Poems and Prose by Philomene and John
Last Days of John Thomas
The Beats: An Existential Comedy
Zendik poem:
Buck-or-Two Blues Rap
Gas House beat HQ
John Kertisz
Dear Lovely Venice,
Please accept my apology for not writing sooner, although i know your
constituent electrons, energies and spirits keep you well aware of how
slowly we operate on this plane and especially in this particular space
whose name is yours, sweet lady.
As you well know, it is now 7 score plus 7 more
since you became a city no
more, on the promise of boroughs and benefits galore. How we impossibly
remain in peculiar form of non-conforming community all the same with
essence unchanged, is a question i wish not to explore.
For myself, it seems as yesterday, some 30 years
ago, that i found myself
in your beauteous domain savoring your breath and warmth, falling instantly
in love, knowing i had found home at last,
Soon after, i became acquainted with your founding
father, Abbot Kinney,
and became familiar with the history of your becoming a city nearly 100
years ago. Time flies when in love. I also discovered that Abbot did not
have a street named in his honor nor a sculpture anywhere to be seen.
Later in the 70's, i had the good fortune to find
a charming small store
for Artist residence on then named West Washington Blvd. (As though we
didn't have enough of George ) Which is where i founded the Front Porch
coffee/tea House, including the usual accouterments of music, art, poetry
and such.
During this period, your make-up and structure were
somewhat in disrepair,
reflecting the adversities from which you were emerging. Nonetheless,
your
mystical spirit gave inspiration, meaning, and purpose to countless
itinerant artists of all kinds. For me resulting in 200 poems; and 100
flutes from bamboo cut from your then numerous patches, created and played
in celebration and tribute to your spirit and beauty.
This interval included yearly community festivals
in your canals to
celebrate the people's love for you through art, craft, music, and dance.
These were fun filled gatherings of joy and hope. Unfortunately a form
of
incurable functional obsolescence had set into your estate and the canal
festivals terminated sadly in 1976.
Hiatus ensued until 1984, when a small band of citizens,
residents, and
merchants on then west washington blvd organized a new Arts/Crafts/Music
Festival to celebrate your continuing tradition. 5 years later in 1989
another group came to being to honor and recognize your founder, for whom
i
wrote and delivered the poem, "Ode to Abbot Kinney", at the
now yearly
Venice Festival, and presented the first "Spirit of Venice"
award to direct
living descendants of Abbot.
Am sure you noticed that i have presumed to elevate
your status from the
original "venice of America" to "Venice of the Universe".
I did so in
keeping with reality of the fact that you are known, loved,
inter-comingled, and appreciated by people from all points and places
on
this planet and certainly the universe too; and especially i am sure at
our
guiding planet Venus, where i understand that you and we are #1 in their
soap opera programming.
A dozen more festivals have since celebrated our
youth, our elders, our
unity in our non-conforming diversity; all in appreciation of your being
the most unique place on this plane where each is able to work within
your
spirit and to live in harmony.
About all for now except to mention that the citizens
of your community are
preparing for a grand centennial celebration of your birth, two years
from
now. Please pretend to be surprised. Spoke to Abbot, he will attend. I
love
you more each day and remain your devoted servant.
John '33
P.S. Put in a good word for me at the home office.
Tell them i would be ready for a transfer if not
for the fact that i love
being here with you so much.