Here’s the very first poem that opens “The Lion For Real” (published in Reality Sandwiches) – Kenneth Rexroth and Edith Piaf – a brief but poignant lyric, “Scribble”
Steve Swallow‘ s on piano, Michael Blair on guitar, Ralph Carney on clarinet.
Allen’s sleeve note – “Casual note, a long melancholic affectionate 1956 thought about the late irascible Bay Area anarchist Poet, Kenneth Rexroth, might be 4 A.M. in the soul that Michael Blair’s music mirrors”
Scribble
tired bliss
White haired, wing browed
gas mustache,
flowers jet out of
his sad head,
listening to Edith Piaf street song
as she walks the universe
with all life gone
and cities disappeared
only the God of Love
left smiling
Berkeley, March 1956
Here (added bonus) a recent translation of the poem into Spanish (thanks Vanja Lopez) :
Garabato
La cara de Rexroth reflejando humana/ dicha cansada/ Pelo blanco cejas aladas . . . . ./mostacho de gas,/salen flores a chorros de/su triste cabeza,/escuchando la canción de calle de Edith Piaf/mientras ella recorre el universo . . . ./toda la vida desaparecida ./y las ciudades desaparecidas/sólo el Dios del Amor/queda sonriendo.
and Portuguese:
Garrancho
A cara de Roxroth refletindo a cansada/beatitude humana/A cabeleira branca, a sobrancelha arrebitada/o bigode tagarela,/as flores rebentando/de sua cabeça triste,/a ouvir as cantigas mundanas de Edith Piaf/como se ela passeasse pelo universo/com toda a vida ida/e as cidades desaparecidas/somente o Deus do Amor/ficou a sorrir