VERSE / Eric Gordon : The One-Leaflet Theory of Revolution

The One-Leaflet Theory of Revolution

O God, O Muse, O Creative Spirit,
O shades of Revolution from generations gone,
I chasten my heart and bend my knee to implore you,
Send down,
to one so tired of working and waiting,
to one who winces with twinges of guilt
over a sinful night of dinner and music,
Send to this exhausted brain
that text of heavenly perfection,
that unearthly combination of letters and words,
that transcendent, pellucid, sonorous
expression of the people’s will
at this excruciating moment
that sublime manifesto of deliverance,
that noble pronouncement,
in a language all sentient beings may mystically apprehend,
Send down that one resplendent leaflet
leaping with imagination and potent with inventive genius

That will dilate the veins of indignation,
pump the blood faster through the heart,
lift cataracts from eyes,
and restore the halt and lame
to a full sprint toward the sun
to mold our class solidarity
into a fiery arm of victory
as glorious orchestras fill the air
with harmony no soul has ever heard
and the rhythm of masses marching as one.

And Muse or Spirit or God, please
do not forget to forward your flyer
in exactly that font and graphic design
your divine calculation determines
will awe and astound and amaze the population
into utter, confident conviction
that this, this one page of word and image,
be the prophetic answer to all our age-old prayers,
the long-sought comfort for all oppressed people,
the soothing balm to every hurt and wound,
the bugler’s final taps for numberless capital crimes.

And let it usher in a shining epoch of blissful peace
and art to please, delight, inspire,
that grants the joy of giving all we are able,
that blesses us with all we need.

O God or whoever, will this you bestow?

I’m listening.
Ready.
I’m sitting at my monitor prepared to transcribe.

Patient.
Patient!

Actually, I think I’m getting a little restless now.
I’m not hearing you.

‘Scuse me. Gotta get the phone.
Can I go out precinct walking today?!
Well, I was expecting a very important call.
It could come at any time.

But I can’t wait forever.
Yeah, I can go.
When and where do you need me?

Eric Gordon
October 17, 2010

Thanks to Mariann G. Wizard / The Rag Blog / Posted October 25, 2010