DYLAN'S PEOPLE

They're selling postcards of the hanging, they're painting the passports brown The beauty parlor is filled with sailors, the circus is in town Here comes the blind commissioner, they've got him in a trance One hand is tied to the tight-rope walker, the other is in his pants And the riot squad they're restless, they need somewhere to go As Lady and I look out tonight, from Desolation Row Cinderella, she seems so easy, "It takes one to know one, " she smiles And puts her hands in her back pockets Bette Davis style And in comes Romeo, he's moaning. "You Belong to Me I Believe" And someone says, "You're in the wrong place, my friend, you'd better leave" And the only sound that's left after the ambulances go Is Cinderella sweeping up on Desolation Row Now the moon is almost hidden, the stars are beginning to hide The fortune telling lady has even taken all her things inside All except for Cain and Abel and the hunchback of Notre Dame Everybody is making love or else expecting rain And the Good Samaritan, he's dressing, he's getting ready for the show He's going to the carnival tonight on Desolation Row Ophelia, she's 'neath the window for her I feel so afraid On her twenty-second birthday she already is an old maid To her, death is quite romantic she wears an iron vest Her profession's her religion, her sin is her lifelessness And though her eyes are fixed upon Noah's great rainbow She spends her time peeking into Desolation Row Einstein, disguised as Robin Hood with his memories in a trunk Passed this way an hour ago with his friend, a jealous monk Now he looked so immaculately frightful as he bummed a cigarette And he when off sniffing drainpipes and reciting the alphabet You would not think to look at him, but he was famous long ago For playing the electric violin on Desolation Row Dr. Filth, he keeps his world inside of a leather cup But all his sexless patients, they're trying to blow it up Now his nurse, some local loser, she's in charge of the cyanide hole And she also keeps the cards that read, "Have Mercy on His Soul" They all play on the penny whistles, you can hear them blow If you lean your head out far enough from Desolation Row Across the street they've nailed the curtains, they're getting ready for the feast The Phantom of the Opera in a perfect image of a priest They are spoon feeding Casanova to get him to feel more assured Then they'll kill him with self-confidence after poisoning him with words And the Phantom's shouting to skinny girls, "Get outta here if you don't know" Casanova is just being punished for going to Desolation Row" At midnight all the agents and the superhuman crew Come out and round up everyone that knows more than they do Then they bring them to the factory where the heart-attack machine Is strapped across their shoulders and then the kerosene Is brought down from the castles by insurance men who go Check to see that nobody is escaping to Desolation Row Praise be to Nero's Neptune, the Titanic sails at dawn Everybody's shouting, "Which side are you on?!" And Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot fighting in the captain's tower While calypso singers laugh at them and fishermen hold flowers Between the windows of the sea where lovely mermaids flow And nobody has to think too much about Desolation Row Yes, I received your letter yesterday, about the time the doorknob broke When you asked me how I was doing, was that some kind of joke All these people that you mention, yes, I know them, they're quite lame I had to rearrange their faces and give them all another name Right now, I can't read too good, don't send me no more letters no Not unless you mail them from Desolation Row Songwriters: Bob Dylan

 53  

BACK DOOR OF PARADISE - FLESH ON MAINSTREET

On the curb, he considers his options,
Which way to go into the day?
Following the courses of the city tides,
It is almost evening, neon lights are
The moon of these streets
Knowing no season,
The city will not soon change its face,
And will continue in its pace and grind,
Consuming us.
   *
He admits it.
He follows Lady through the trafficways:
"If not for her many faces I would
be wise to her.But she loses me always
I see her disappearing in her yellow dress
At Bay and Dundas. She smiles and waves at me.
She is the Goddess from eternal seas;
In the hips of every lady of the street,
I see Her breathe. I love Her, I need
Her pulse and breast. I need her
Though she gives so little rest;
She saps me, as I drink from her purse."
   *
"Walk with me a little while along this
Journey of the town's interior,
And we shall see with some lucidity...
That young gal over there serving tables,
A real beauty - everything you would need,
She has a knowing smile and confidence,
Which comes when the worst blows of this nasty
World have not destroyed you. She's been here a
Long time, she doesn't work here, she presides.
Her name is Lucy.
A song called, "Dancing in the Moonlight" is
On the jukebox. We are beneath the street,
In a basement, subterrainian
Lonely men in dark corners of the bar,
She serves them too and gives them something of
What they need, more than beer and chips and hamburgers.
*

The city's still the same, pursuing itself with frantic energy
Searching out its name in the maze of streets
Each of us descending for immersion;
Seeing how we may swim in its waters
And return home to sleep 'til there is no home
But only it with starved eyes in the dark.
*
It's very serious after a while
Until the sky blows the roof out between
The buildings:
And there is a vast emptiness of miles
An infinite apace that breathes in the night
Sweeping streets clean of our minor concerns
And navel gazing.
*
Then we return to the luscious fullness
Of bodies passing
he wants to rub against them
And dance along the street behind them
Chops licking and a smile on his face... yes
This is the land of fuck as someone said,
A whole city in heat.
*
In heat to buy dresses and get to work,
To get that beer, get parked, get entertained.
And the enormous hierarchy of it all,
The towering fuck order, with the
Enormous fucking full cunt at the top,
For a little motivation.
And we descend to the depths, happy as
Larks without nests, and a spot of love
In our breasts, and tea in our cup and a
Lady in our lap, the evening before dark;
And the fullness of a cresting stiff cock,
Erection between her legs and she sags,
Bears down on it, then turns to face me with
Legs spread wide and a dark passion in her eyes
Yes, this is what I need, yes I need this,
Fill me, plant your seed deep, so I may walk
Warmly when I return upon the streets;
Plant it, baby, plant it, and turn off the T.V;
There is a fire burning inside me and I need,
I need; I need what you have to give me;
This is what I came here for, down these streets
To this dark alley-lore, deep beneath the
Sidewalks,warm water running, deep, deep, hear
The sirens on the street - such urgency -
O come to me, and love me deep, baby,
Don't you see my need? Fill me, fill me
*
And then out again warmed and refreshed
And calmed by her soothing hands...





This is a scene from my unpublished book, FLESH ON MAINSTREET.  There is real poetry down among those streets
and pages.
(C) 1970-2019 by William G. Milne

ST. MARTIN AND THE VIRGIN

True love is not lost to savagery,
Nor is spirit a stranger to cash;
And tenderness can turn to violence,
The brightest flame will often turn to ash.

And St. Martin did one time love a lass,
Sweet as the sky were her brightest blue eyes;
And they danced to the sound of a violin,
They danced and they laughed 'til the dawn                    came in.

St Martin, he has come to be gone now,
He is buried deep under the grass;
It's said where he lies it's a holy place
His child dances at the feet of his lass.





(C)2019 by W.G. Milne

AT THE FULL OF THE MOON-- lyrics blues song

I woke up this morning -- feeling like shit
The birds in the bushes sing a sweet fluid tune
I gotta do some work - maybe dig me a ditch
Or I'll play some notes real loud - at the full of the moon

When I'm all alone, I have my guitar
And I'll drink some wine - play from midnight until noon
I play sweet  and loud - I don't need no car
I dream I'm with my woman - at the full of the moon

There's sweet Annie - to her, love's a snap
I'll play notes for her - we'll dance until we swoon
I don't need no politics - nothing like that
I'll  play our sweet lovin - at the full of the moon


Woke up this morning - feel like a heart attack
There's nobody here - and no one's coming soon
I threw out the women - and they're not coming back
I'll just dance a twirl and howl -  at the full of the moon

Dr. John - Mama Roux

WHEN I RUN AFTER WHAT I THINK I WANT...

   When I run after what I think I want, 
my days are a furnace of  stress and anxiety;
If I sit in my own place of patience
what I need flows to me and without pain.
From this I understand that
what I want also wants me,
is looking for me and attracting me.
There is a great secret here
for any one who can grasp it.





from Rumi

COUNTRY VIDEOS (C)2000-2016 by W G Milne and JOHN ROCK CORPRATION ...

I DREAMED IT WAS MY IMAGINING

THE GREAT WAY IS EASY FOR HE WHO HAS NO PREFERENHCES

The roshi, teacher, master of the zen temple at Rochester and I, somehow we became close.
Even though we said very few words to each other, our Minds became One.

So I quote this translation from that temple:

Hsin Hsin Ming
Chant version used by the Rochester Zen Center
http://www.mendosa.com/way1.htm

The Great Way is not difficult
for those who do not pick and choose.

When pref'rences are cast aside
the Way stands clear and undisguised.

But even slight distinctions made
set earth and heaven far apart.

If you would clearly see the truth,
discard opinions pro and con.

To founder in dislike and like
is nothing but the mind's disease.

And not to see the Way's deep truth
disturbs the mind's essential peace.

The Way is perfect like vast space,
where there's no lack and no excess.

Our choice to choose and to reject
prevents our see'ng this simple truth.

Both striving for the outer world
as well as for the inner void
condemn us to entangled lives.

Just calmly see that all is One
and by themselves false views will go.

Attempts to stop activity
will fill you with activity.

If there's a trace of right and wrong,
True-mind is lost, confused, distraught.

From One-mind comes duality,
but cling not even to this One.

When this One-mind rests undisturbed
then nothing in the world offends.

And when no thing can give offense,
then all obstructions cease to be.

If all thought-objects disappear
the thinking subject drops away.

For things are things because of mind,
as mind is mind because of things.

These two are merely relative
and both at source are Emptiness.

In Emptiness these are not two,
yet in each are contained all forms.

Once coarse and fine are seen no more,
then how can there be taking sides?

The Great Way is without limit,
beyond the easy and the hard.

But those who hold to narrow views
are fearful and irresolute;
their frantic haste just slows them down.

If you're attached to anything,
you surely will go far astray.

Both gain and loss, and right and wrong--
once and for all get rid of them.

When you no longer are asleep,
all dreams will vanish by themselves.

If mind does not discriminate,
all things are as they are, as One.

To go to this mysterious Source
frees us from all entanglements.

When all is seen with "equal mind,"
to our Self-nature we return.

This single mind goes right beyond
all reasons and comparison.

Seek movement and there's no-movement,
seek rest and no-rest comes instead.

When rest and no-rest cease to be,
then even oneness disappears.

This ultimate finality's
beyond all laws, can't be described.

With single mind one with the Way,
all ego-centered strivings cease;

Doubts and confusion disappear,
and so true faith pervades our life

There is no thing that clings to us,
and nothing that is left behind.

Remaining in duality,
you'll never know of unity.

And not to know this unity
lets conflict lead you far astray.

When you assert that things are real
you miss their true reality.

But to assert that things are void
also misses reality.

The more you talk and think on this
the further from the truth you'll be.

Cut off all useless thoughts and words
and there's nowhere you cannot go.

Returning to the root itself,
you'll find the meaning of all things.

If you pursue appearances
you overlook the primal source.

Awak'ning is to go beyond
both emptiness as well as form.

All changes in this empty world
seem real because of ignorance.

Do not go searching for the truth,
just let those fond opinions go.

Abide not in duality,
refrain from all pursuit of it.

Just let go now of clinging mind,
and all things are just as they are.
In essence nothing goes or stays.

See into the true self of things,
and you're in step with the Great Way,
thus walking freely, undisturbed.

But live in bondage to your thoughts,
and you will be confused, unclear.

This heavy burden weighs you down--
so why keep judging good and bad?

If you would walk the highest Way,
do not reject the sense domain.

For as it is, whole and complete,
this sense world is enlightenment.

The wise do not strive after goals,
but fools themselves in bondage put.

The One Way knows no diff'rences,
the foolish cling to this and that.

To seek Great Mind with thinking mind
is certainly a grave mistake.

From small mind come rest and unrest,
but mind awakened transcends both.

Delusion spawns dualities--
these dreams are merely flow'rs of air--
why work so hard at grasping them?

All's self-revealing, void and clear,
without exerting power of mind.

Thought cannot reach this state of truth,
here feelings are of no avail.

In this true world of Emptiness
both self and other are no more.

To enter this true empty world,
immediately affirm "not-two."

In this "not-two" all is the same,
with nothing separate or outside.

The wise in all times and places
awaken to this primal truth.

The Way's beyond all space, all time,
one instant is ten thousand years.

Not only here, not only there,
truth's right before your very eyes.

Distinctions such as large and small
have relevance for you no more.

The largest is the smallest too--
here limitations have no place.

What is is not, what is not is --
if this is not yet clear to you,
you're still far from the inner truth.

One thing is all, all things are one--
know this and all's whole and complete.

When faith and Mind are not separate,
and not separate are Mind and faith,
this is beyond all words, all thought

For here there is no yesterday,
no tomorrow,
no today.

Source: Pages 16-22 of "Rochester Zen Center's Chant Book Copyright Rochester Zen Center 1990."
Used with permission of the Rochester Zen Center.