this poem is for gilli
who once told me that writing poetry is the most important job in the universe!
poetess goddess
warrioress
wild wise woman with a pen for a sword
a sticky well used pen
encased in a sheath of grains of sand
from south golden beach
and adorned with a touch of fluff
rumagingly retrieved from the crusty bottom
of her colourful cotton celtic bag
midst the scattered crumbled makings
of a welcome fag
used tissues
old parking fine issues
piles of useless reader’s digest unsolicited spam mail
a ragged corner of dark chocolate
unfortunately decidedly stale
a purse devoid of cash
a pouch awaiting a stash
a lighter or two that might just light
she composes late at night
by hash oil lamplight
fuelled by wine or whiskey or tea
or all three
and always with the help of some lovingly smoked weed
so her body mind feels relaxed and freed
a razor-sharp intellect for ammunition
she’s on a multi dimensional experimental mission
a cosmic kaleidoscopic sorceress linguist
she expresses herself in perfect english
et la langue de francais
y espanol ole!
ancient latin
classical greek
pot head pixie cheeky speak
forgotten tongues of invisible mystics
prostitute street talk erotic gnostics
ephemeral space whisperings from planet gong
primordial psychic evensong
she will not be distracted from her work not a chance
(she really is a willful housewife
and has been her whole life)
and ‘pon completing her poetic parlance dance
we may enjoy a long rejuvenating remedial draught
of unabashed uncensored verbal witchcraft
she’ll go for the jugular in polite vernacular
proclaim the mundane as utterly spectacular
she is directly connected to intergalactica
she is starshine and moonshine specular facula
she will skillfully distill
the essence of the thrill
of one’s rebellious pledge
to live life on the edge
rally against restrictive rules and uptight regulations
deride grubby greedy lowlife corporations
chide the church
hail mary
expose deception
propose a revolution
outline the details of a fantastical solution
with well bred elocution
be informed forewarned armed and charmed
one’s artistic spirit’s now safely embalmed
swill a homeopathic dose of gilli’s fearless verse
and feel the nasty side effects of society’s ills disperse
in an intangible whiff of a cloud of a puff
of pure mother gong syllabic magic stuff
beeeeeeeee
freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
tee hee
24th july 2016
gilli performing her last gig as a feature poet
poets@the paradiso byron bay 23rd october 2013.
feature poets at the paradiso october 2013 tanya delys mandorla, rebecca rushbrook, christine strelan, vasudha harte (host), gilli smyth
r.i.p. gilli 1st june 1933 – 22nd august 2016
