For Lou Reed

Lou Reed died today (October 27, 2013). His art — his music and writing — has meant a great deal to me and influenced me as a person and a poet in innumerable ways. He was possibly the greatest songwriter of our time, at least in a certain vein, and his influence cannot even be fully measured yet — it goes on.

Below I give a section of my poem “Homage to Allen Kirkpatrick” (published in last year’s Future Blues) which responds to the work of underground New York filmmaker Kirkpatrick. The latter’s Adrenalin Devours the Blood includes footage of Lou from the 1974 or ’75 era, and so references to these make their way into the poem.

It’s all I can offer at present.

*

[1975]

Adrenalin Devours the Blood:

the filmmaker holds up (again) the mirror to himself

reads yesterday’s paper

and the news may not be good

(a drinking contest left two friends dead),

            Manhattan approached

            with dread along the surface of the river

Kill Yr Sons/

Lou Reed iconic footage his poetry, gestures,

jerking motions like the the sound is dis-juncted,

a hand-held camera observes

gay pride parade black balloon leather boys

cops guns and the American flag,

boxing bout KO in the ring

and sleeping bums head on curb

under the belly of New York

secret filming of junkyards

O sadness of

first-thing-in-the-morning bars

old men’s whiskey and water shot glasses

dolorous light through translucent curtains,

bathroom urinals—

silhouetted against the color cathode test signal

the filmmaker examines strips of his film,

x-rays of the salacious/

            the blind beggar solicits change

the black hooker beautiful mounds of flesh

to strains of “Angel Baby” breasts hang

projected in shadow then lumined and brown

“it’s just like heaven, being here with you”

Allen visible in the hotel room mirror

just as I am visible in the writing of the poem

combs her hair in the mirror angel baby

as he films holding camera 16mm,

yes let us see the mechanics,

“ooh-hoo I love you” coarse black pubic hair

graffiti subway train cars

running up the screen 3-D style

SCAT   CODE   THE DR. J   JET   CHEF   FAT

have got up too in spray-paint

the transsexual classic American

70s housewife style heavy eye makeup & hair

(Allen again visible in the mirror,

a heavy hand)

street scene pimps, wigs in shop windows

XXX cinema Playmate Studio 25¢ booths

            vicious

O sweet Lou in double exposure

light glints on guitar like flickering neon

gay parade glamour queen floats of America,

and the universe

                        —MSB

*

Here is Reed’s “Kill Your Sons,” referenced in the poem:



 And here is another of Reed’s greatest works: