Silence, Violence + Ferlinghetti Farewell

“a hush in the punk rock”

— Elegy, 1978 Lawrence Ferlinghetti

2 cents in 3 pence.

1. Let it begin with me: drain the noise. Tune in, turn it off. We don’t need another hero, or blog or tweet or tik-tok. The universe sings a B-flat. Can you hear it? All the lamas, swamis and monks have known this for 6000 years. The song continues long after you finally fall silent.

Music of the heavens — NY Times, 2003

2. Bite the violence tongue. ‘Hate’ is not a taste preference. ‘Killed-it’, ‘slayed’ & ‘destroyed’ are not happy accomplishments. End the isms of military. While we’re at, how ‘bout we ban ‘iconic’ and‘epic’.

“Where the mind goes, the body will follow”
— Sw. Satchidananda

3. Lawrence Ferlinghetti. Beat Poet, publisher, literary champion.

“Do not upon the ground and talk
of the death of things beyond
these sad sad happenings.
Such men as these do rise above
our worst imaginings.”
(ibid. LF 1978)

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