This one is for Richard Brautigan (1935-1984) – King of Zen Comedy Poet Lit.

“Rommel Drives On Into Egypt” opened my eyes to a whole new world of poetic possibilities.

“In Watermelon Sugar” showed me how the lines of genre, literature, prose and poetry are only small-minded categorizations in a vast Universe of storytelling.

Go find his books and let him tear away the thick black curtain of redundancy that keeps you from seeing the true nature of literature.

For BrautiganThe Archvillian of Romance
sitting peaceful by the river of his youth
writing only to the lonely fish
hiding easy from Ancient Dinosaurs

His nose grows old
contemplating existence
A lush garden of his own making
carrots and green parsley
holding his hands in the dirt

Dreaming of the final ride
the bullet that takes it all away
leaves him to his beloved Nature
resting silent with Beaudelaire
and a bottle of Muscatel

© AR Howerton 2006