By Gene Avery
After I (Tom Kando) posted the piece about “Growth Forever?” I received an e-mail from Gene Avery with a poem. Gene is a Sacramento poet who reminds me of people like Gregory Corso, Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac (I hope it’s okay to say this). I don’t know much about poetry, but I am impressed by Gene’s poem, which is related to my “Growth Forever” post, although much more eloquent. Gene graciously let me reproduce his poem:
We were lied-to until we became the lie
Did not see that our brothers were mad
Our sisters had lost their way
So the men and women of every continent
Went along with the Lie
Raise'd all the children
Not to even QUESTI0N the Lie & our
Mother whisper'd, She call'd, She plead'd
For us to hurry home
But we never did
We never did
We never did
Do I respect you ? no
Do i hope you respect me? NO
Too late for that kinda cow-shit, Lash LaRue
Do I care? do you care
That we treat'd our Mother - Mother Nature -
With CONTEMPT
Now we know we did it & we know our fathers
Mothers & sisters & brothers
Granmas & aunts & uncles & cousins
Treat'd our Mother with Contempt
Exploit'd Her while we indulge'd
4000 Lusts & 5000 greeds
The forests, the fossils don't send fuel-fumes daily, nightly
Up into my atmosphere \ don't poison me 24-7-365 / if you keep at it \ i cannot guarantee for you nor your love'd ones, from the ConseQuences,
