Deaf American Poetry: An Anthology

Wise Old Corn #1

Flying Words Project: Peter Cook and Kenny Lerner 205 Wise Old Corn #1 This poem is about change. And we have several images we want to show you before it starts. You might remember from the Summer Olympics of 1968 that two Black Americans won first and second places and during the awards ceremony, they gave a Black Power salute, which is a very powerful image. Another image is from the Native Americans. They would have a special dance called the Sun Dance. And what they would do is they would take a piece of wood, very sharp . . . pierce their chest with it, and tie a rope, and then hang from it. This was a very special spiritual experience. This poem has magic seeds that can become anything. They can become a star or a building . . . a bridge, anything. This poem is dedicated to Archbishop Romero, a lady poet named Carolyn Forché . . . wonderful woman, of course Martin Luther King, and to all people who plant seeds. He said, “I have a dream” that shattered shot earth earth shot right through the earth while a beating heart needs comforting. This piece is called “Wise Old Corn #1.” Planted Growing branches of understanding beauty A quarter moon shimmering on branches moon shine up the tree trunks Flying Words Project: Peter Cook and Kenny Lerner 206 flowing river flowing through a boulder gateway and flowing to a reflection of the moon the moon! Reflection is split by a canoe trees, trees paint his face paint his face A low hanging branch over long braided hair like a headdress of leaves (brushes by) Wise old corn tears off a leaf a row of kernels then he husks the whole corn rows of kernels. A yellow seed the seed explodes into life. The flower cup its center a swirling fugue under the sun and flower reach to touch as the blazing sun brilliant sun sleepy sun he sets in the West covering himself with a sparkling star blanket stars and constellations under a sky of infinite space. Flying Words Project: Peter Cook and Kenny Lerner 207 The star studded sword of a Roman constellation If you connect the dots . . . They make his helmet breastplates metal skirt and curved shield sparkling. Sheathes the sword and pulls out the moon and its reflection. A reflection that’s split by a canoe. This brown seed will become a star flung up, up it explodes in the sky a brand new star. A yellow seed flung up exploding . . . a new star. A black seed becomes olympic gold metal star spangled black powered salute that explodes in the sky a star. A red seed flung. It’s a bare chest skewered to a rope and pulled, pulled into the sky exploding, a star. The Roman plucks out a solar eye and then flings it down Flying Words Project: Peter Cook and Kenny Lerner 208 down towards the canoer’s chest cavity expands with heat The warmth flows from his heart up to his head. This seed will build a bridge from one bank to the other a suspension bridge. And then rising from the ground growing a church steeple bell bell doors doors open to a black congregation by ones twos threes and fours singing hallelujah and marching with determination. They face the river the bridge and they face the black boots the tightened belt fireman’s hat and badge fire hose power lines powered on. It’s a water cannon! But they march anyways. Flying Words Project: Peter Cook and Kenny Lerner 209 Fireman, with a jet stream he smashes his face. I said, he smashes his face Jet stream pounding pounding water forms chains of water that drain right off this black man. Then the fireman blows away marchers just blows them away in a hurricane of rage that chains him. Jet stream he turns toward another and blasts him shoes fly off fire hose drags him down the street smashed on a storefront this raging stream of images captured on NBC where it’s transmitted up up to a satellite then down, down To the antennae of a house into the wiring to the television set where you sit watching as the fire hose drags him down the street smashed into a storefront Flying Words Project: Peter Cook...