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The Silence of the 21st Century
Poet
By Brad Kammer Martin Espada speaks about the role of the poet in this passive 21st Century world. The times of the poet on the scaffold screaming 'till their heads dropped and rolled are long gone. The times of the red poet looking for some way out of the blues and whites are gone. The times of the 'Jesus' poet placing wildflowers in the barrels of guns are over. But, the times of the poet prophesizing about revolution has not ended, no matter how much silence abounds. They are there, writing their lonely texts, walking in the forest, waiting on line, teaching children, working on buildings, sitting in prison, digging in the earth, and writing out wills for the lonely. Like most individuals, they have dispersed to find other means of surviving, for the poet's place in a capitalistic world is to imitate, to market, to deceive, not to inspire or agitate to revolution. But, there is a revolution occurring in the hearts of man and it is not only in the ghettoes, where the black man is placing a mirror that few really see. Those that think they do misunderstand, and the few that can see and understand are impregnated with the understanding of suffering and the complexities of 21st Century life; also, that this revolution is being televised. We've just lost the ability to see. Together, all over the world, the poet inspires, and the poet speaks. No longer do we rely on him or her to challenge us and to fuel us, now we rely on them for entertainment, amusement and literary enjoyment. Our colorful yet dry system has sucked the marrow out of the bone of poetry, and has spit it out as pages covered in profanity; worse even for it professes to imply something greater. This isn't merely profanity, it is blasphemy. Yet there we go, buying and gossiping about this or that 'poet'. The poets I've met have all been engaged in stimulating the marrow and with little time left to see (or mind) where his or her mirror is placed; the poet drops it in the process of creation, and consequently it will reflect what's been inspired. There are poets among that are realizing the power birthed in the marrow of poetry. In this way, they are responsible for charting the waters of man. There seems little hope, but hope is irrelevant to the process of creation. What is relevant is the sacred, and the responsibility therefore is to be true, not to profane or blaspheme the producer of blood. For the blood will pour as the heads drop and roll; and the color red will darken and deepen into terrifying images; but it will not drown the earth, it will fertilize the withering soil - the natural source of evolution. And finally, the blood will run so thick that the only thing left to do is track the trail to the source. But on your way, you must keep your eyes open, your ears clear, your mind free. We are there leading the way. You must find us in the streets and on the corners and in the woods and under your cars, behind your desks and in your lines and at your banks and resisting your mercy - you find us, follow us, and you will see in the mirror, you will see into your heart, and you will discover the incredible silence that instigates revolution. Listen… HOME PAGE & ARCHIVES
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