John reads “New Harmonic Canon” from his collection Parchment (available at johntessitore.com). He discusses its relation to the life and work of Harry Partch, Whitman, and the “old, weird America.”
You bring up a very good point with the context of this piece. Where has the American gone these days?
I had a discussion with my father this past weekend where I mentioned that "punk America" is over. Meaning there isn't many of us left to challenge the world order. At least, not in a righteous sense.
It's disheartening because questioning how things are or should work, being experimental, is the very existence of attaining something better.
Now perhaps you meant more on the artistry side of things, but even there it becomes sterile to a point. At least, from my observations, anyway.
I totally agree. That what my little book “For a minute there, it seemed like something was happening” is really about. A version of punk America. And there’s a bit in that book about how old our leadership is, and how the thinkers and doers who should be in their prime, in their 40s and 50s, have been pushed aside, possibly for the first time our history. So even if we wanted to change the institutions from the inside, we don’t have access like we once did. (Oh and I know I owe you something and I’m working on it now.)
I'll be honest, I'm horrible when it comes to politics because I often disseminate mainstream media for most of it. I can read between the lines for the most part, and tell what's hogwash and what's not. But most days there isn't much worth noting. Unless it fits the popular narrative, everything else tends to get pushed to the backburner by the media, which is really sad. Ive literally been saying for the past decade that we're in the revival of yellow journalism, but most folk I mention that term to have no idea what I'm talking about, and so I proceed to have a Gibbs moment. But anyway, I could probably talk all day about it.
You bring up a very good point with the context of this piece. Where has the American gone these days?
I had a discussion with my father this past weekend where I mentioned that "punk America" is over. Meaning there isn't many of us left to challenge the world order. At least, not in a righteous sense.
It's disheartening because questioning how things are or should work, being experimental, is the very existence of attaining something better.
Now perhaps you meant more on the artistry side of things, but even there it becomes sterile to a point. At least, from my observations, anyway.
I totally agree. That what my little book “For a minute there, it seemed like something was happening” is really about. A version of punk America. And there’s a bit in that book about how old our leadership is, and how the thinkers and doers who should be in their prime, in their 40s and 50s, have been pushed aside, possibly for the first time our history. So even if we wanted to change the institutions from the inside, we don’t have access like we once did. (Oh and I know I owe you something and I’m working on it now.)
I'll be honest, I'm horrible when it comes to politics because I often disseminate mainstream media for most of it. I can read between the lines for the most part, and tell what's hogwash and what's not. But most days there isn't much worth noting. Unless it fits the popular narrative, everything else tends to get pushed to the backburner by the media, which is really sad. Ive literally been saying for the past decade that we're in the revival of yellow journalism, but most folk I mention that term to have no idea what I'm talking about, and so I proceed to have a Gibbs moment. But anyway, I could probably talk all day about it.
Thank you for the present!
Really enjoyed this. Thanks for the historical romp with poetry.
I’m so glad. Thank you, my friend.