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REVIEW
& COMMENTARY
Mystic New Yorker Casey Cyr's latest collection of Words and
Images, View from the Launch Pad (Hozomeen Press, New London
Ct 01) graphically depicts the sacred and the profane. It
is astute in its poetic analysis of history: "a ritual
of impermanence." It is austere in its hawk's eye view
of the present world: "i die with the world's dying."
It is lyrical in its undaunted hope for our possibile future:
"a lovingkind God dream."
Painter Poet Musician Cyr, a modern day prophet, views the
world's angelic potential from atop Mount Hozomeen, "Blake's
celestial commune/ with the angels of light," and from
the world's style-driven soulless reality of New York City's
guttered streets, "soul replaced with style/ the-world-is-my-ashtray
jokers abound/ IN THE ME FIRST TOWN!"
Simultaneously facing light and dark, Cyr, like Kenneth Patchen
and William Blake before her, asks ancient questions, questions
that are more relevant today than ever: "what is there
to have? what shall we do without us? How Long to Sing This
Song? how do we change the artist's fate? how do I hold on?
why hold on? how do you like that one? how does anybody heal?
who knows? What can I do? Do we have enough mud? and starlight?
Are the coconut trees happy? What can we do for cherry blossoms?
How do we dance with junebugs? Can we make more appreciation?
Which one of you has eight legs? What kind of nuclear warheads
were those? is it but One face I see? only One face all along?
what else is there to contemplate?"
Casey Cyr's poems, paintings, and songs are simply complex.
They are direct and honest expressions of her heartfelt desire
to help make the world a better place in which to live.
Jean-Louis Lebris
de Kerouac
your Little Flower Bum sings
your
David Amram fluting dreams
shine among these alleluia stars
shine up to the halleluie heaven
for you know
as when you were here
how do we change the artist's fate?
while the business suits collect and destroy
the fragile home often called "real estate"
the
artist plucks and paints
opening the beach flowers of
neptune's orchestra
electric
cinema of stars
(from "To Dream in Kerouac's Playground")
They
are born of deepest conviction, conviction that, despite our
apparent powerlessness in a world gone mad with greed, hatred,
and powerlust, it is still possible for each of us to make
a difference, to heal ourselves and help heal others, to protect
and help heal the earth. Is it naive, ridiculous to hope for
such things? Even if it's too late, even if we've gone too
far down the path of self-destruction to resurrect the human
race and the earth, I choose, in these last days final hours,
to stand in the trenches with Casey Cyr and the handful of
others round the world who choose to pour their lives into
the healing cup.
...in
the future the prevailing concerns and vested interests
will dare ask the questions:
Do
we have enough mud? and starlight? to the powers that have
always been.
Are
the coconut trees happy?
What can we do for cherry blossoms?
How do we dance with junebugs?
Can
we make more
'appreciation'?
One
fine day.
One
infinity
at a time,
the universe says.
(from "Vested Interests")
Casey
Cyr's beautiful new book is a glowing gem lightening our dark
night. Reading, seeing, hearing her work gives me hope that
it's not too late for the human race, for this world.
Poet,
Writer, Editor, Publisher, Organizer Ron Whitehead's newest
book, THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE THIS TIME: Selected
Poems 1996-2000, has just been released by Hozomeen Press,
New London, CT (Ron's 3rd Hozomeen release). After Heading
up the Poetry Division of The New York Underground Music &
Poetry Festival (November 2000), being Advisor for INSOMNIACATHON
2001 (largest Music & Poetry Festival in Kentucky history
with 118 poets & 82 bands, February 2001), and producing
The United Nations' Dialogue Among Civilizations Through Poetry
Louisville Event (240 events in 200 cities round the globe,
March 2001) Ron (Director of the literary renaissance) is
working with Richard Deakin and Derek Woodgate (Director of
fringecore) to produce LIPS: The London (England) International
Poetry and Song Festival (October 2001). Ron has several new
titles coming out in 2001 and 2002. After living in Reykjavik,
Iceland, when not traveling he lives in Kentucky. www.tappingmyownphone.com
& www.summersault.com/tilt-a-whirl/
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