Dedicated to the Revival and Promotion
of the Oral Tradition in Literature
Daniel Wescott
Being raised in Maine, Daniel Wescott still can be occasionally heard using terms like "Ayuh" and "dress your feet." He's been writing poetry since his first introduction to the art in grade school and, though he's finally stopped ryhming, still feels that he has a lot of growing to do.
His first exposure to the 'spoken word' happened early in 1999 and, since then, he has become host and director of The Vegas Poet's Society, organized and instituted the Southern Nevada Women's Correctional Facility poetry project (Poetry At The Women's Prison).
His poetry goals are to publish a small book, compete for a NAC Fellowship and to have works accepted by various publishers 'respected in the poetry community'.
Taunting waters surge below,
seaweed battered in rhythm,
enslaved to the totality
of the midnight rocks.
Slipping and screaming,
grabbing for his father
with fingers that rake doubt,
eyes that plead forgiveness.
Yet he stands unmoving,
hands not reaching out,
not rescuing,
nothing.
And his son falls,
joining the rhythm,
finality in the eddies,
slowly sinking.
Wrenching his father awake,
colder than the night breeze,
hesitant to check on his son
and quiver in sins atonement.
I know what you mean when
you say everything is going to be
fine, fine, fine.
Just like when the doctors said,
The patient suffers from acute
schizophrenia strained by
paranoia that can be controlled
with the use of drugs.
Fine, fine, Ooo yeah.
Thats why they have a car
parked outside. Thats why
they have a transmitter
that makes me crawl when
my they push the button
and make my stomach scream.
Well, Ive got a baseball bat.
Maybe Ill walk up to that
car and whack him upside his head!
See how he likes crawling.
Then Ill take that transmitter
to the Attorney General and
then they wont be able to deny
it.
Ooo yeah.
And as for those tests
they say I have to take;
those interviews...
Well...
I know what to say.
I know what they want.
Why, yes sir. Ive been feeling
great lately. No, I havent
felt any pressure: I havent even
been stressed. As a matter of
fact, I applied for a job yesterday
and they called me for an interview
tomorrow. Yes sir, I think everythings
going extremely well, too. Yup, that
medication is really working!
Like Id take that controlling stuff.
Wheres that car?
Karen Lumos <karen@cs.unlv.edu>