"Some Greek Writings" by Gregory Corso
IN A WAY
the Greeks today
don't like Acropolis
because
it hovers over them
as though mockingly
as though imprisoning them
in a you-can't-do-better-than-me
abyss
No matter whicheverway
they look
that mark of history
is impossible to miss
WHEN PRESIDENT EISENHOWER
came to Athens
he got a helicopter
and flew it over the Acropolis
and looked down on it
like only Zeus could
I told that to a sharp Englishman
who replied:
He's fortunate he did not fly over it
like Icarus
PHAESTOS IS A VILLAGE WITH 25 FAMILIES
and one taverna
There my friend and I sat
drinking with the tallest Greek in the world
And though he must have been close to sixty
his face and body seemed those of a strong young prince
We could not speak each other's language
but drink after drink we talked about everything
I learned by my little German
and my companion's little Greek
and the others their little French and English
"He shot twenty German officers"
"But he wouldn't shoot a soldier"
"He says they were young and good"
"Now that the war is over and no more officers
he's unhappy"
"He's unhappy because the village has forgotten
his heroics"
He sighed a sigh which seemed to say:
Those were the good old days
Having drunk so much I had to go to the toilet
and so did my friend and almost all the others
There was no toilet
Thus out into the pitch dark we staggered
behind the taverna we went
where
beneath the starriest sky I ever saw
we all did wondrously pee
These are some random thoughts, as far as I can tell. I have no idea what was going on here. But I do really love how I used to always write this kind of poetry. Was I even conscience of the fact that I was doing that? Do I still do that and not realize it? Perhaps, because I write this here without being too self conscience of what it is exactly that I am doing. Just letting it flow. Just letting it all go.
I would never be able to describe how beautiful the places in the top photos were, or how rad is was walking through alleys in Rome and coming upon a Nun taking in the scenery and old Brunellesci too. If I go any further trying to read this will be like trying to make works out of someone talking in tongues.
When I was old enough I was taking off to Los Angeles every chance I had to go clubbing and exploring this city that lay so close. I'm pretty confident that these pages were made during that time. It is funny to see how negative my writing is, even despite my teenage angst. I hated Los Angeles as soon as I got there. Everyone was too cool, I remember that. And I wanted so desperately to be cool. I hadn't realize that what I really wanted for my future was to be comfortable and happy. This is something that I believe now comes gradually with age and figuring out what I like and saying fuck it to what everyone else thinks while also learning to care positively for others and taking positive care back. You know, having good people around you and not listening to the negative defensive words most people throw around. That's what a lot of areas of Los Angeles still mean to me. I place where people are too cool for school because they haven't found what they want because they got distracted by vanity. But a little vanity is good and taking it out just every once in a while is the happy balance.
I was so proud of this report card because I had great grades and comments except in one class. It was very easy to say to my parents "hey, I just do not like that teacher" and because of my grades they were just like "okay, that 'D' makes sense."
This is the first page to my first attempt at being something like Dan Eldon way long ago. It is nearly hard to look at because I can read into what I wrote the emotions and ignorance of the age I was when I made this journal.
