Seeds of Dissent by Phil Woods

Seeds of Dissent by Phil Woods

Phil Woods dedicated this poem to me for my birthday, Phil is one of my favorite poets and one of the smartest and coolest guys I’ve talked to.

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SEEDS OF DISSENT

By Phil Woods

for Chris Steele

Every generation has to discover,

           or rediscover,

           what was authentic rebellion.

It could be a novel or a song.

           It could be a painting

           or very private poem.

Fitzgerald thought three times

           per century

There’s a rebellion

           against the Fathers.

First, there are those front runners,

           those scouts

           scouting the future—

           those great epic signs

           & early warnings.

Then, the full blown crisis

           & full mobilization.

Then, the walls & crushing blows,

           more often than not,

           of counterrevolution.

In the 20s the horror of WWI

           & the crass

           go-go hustle

           of America

Caused sustained, defiant exile.

Then, as Malcolm Cowley wrote,

           Exile’s Return.

Some became reporters

           going down

           to Harlan County.

Some helped organize the CIO.

Some defended the Scottsboro Boys.

Others went to Spain,

           either as press

           or in the Lincoln Brigade.

Then, after the War

           Tail-gunner Joe

& Tricky Dicky

           helped create

           the Big Chill.

Like the Lost Generation

           the Beats

           kept something alive

           during an ice age.

By 67 it was full blown

           Rebellion,

But it died a thousand deaths

           from Altamont

           to the townhouse

           that exploded

           in the Village.

Since then, it’s mostly been

           re-guard action

           & counterrevolution.

Reagan did his best

           to impersonate

           Calvin Coolidge.

& in 2007 W did his best

           to impersonate

           Herbert Hoover.

Since then, we’ve had

           a very thin

           reenactment

           of the memory

           of the New Deal.

But the Crisis deepens 

           & seeds of dissent

           reappear in Wisconsin

           & Zuccotti Park.

We need new songs, new poems,

           new strategy.

My grandfather tried

           to tell me

           look for security

           & cut the best deal

           you can.

           The age old wisdom

           of fighting for the

           immigrant family

With no illusions about

           changing the big picture.

Very Catholic, very conservative,

           & above all,

           very subordinate.

Know your place, accept your place,

           keep food on the table

           & a roof

           over the family.

Hope like hell the kids & grand kids

          can some how

          move up.

You don’t rock the boat.

          You prove you belong

          & are loyal.

Some of us, for some of us

          that’s not enough.

          We plant seeds of dissent.

          Blow on

          the old embers

          of past insurgency.

Try to keep a precious flame

          burning.