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SPOKEN WORD SPECTACULAR - JOE BALAZ
Listen to .mp3 (opens in new window)
THE OTHER SIDE
I have just taken my last breath
and have entered our galaxy’s recycling center
into a black hole
as I turn into cosmic spaghetti
and fall towards singularity.
I’m rewinding myself into another universe
and the journey has just begun—
—how’s that for transcending?
So
this is the other side
cool
skyscrapers and everything—
—now I know what you mean
about being an alien Stevie Wonder.
I can see you made it here too
and you don’t need your sunglasses anymore.
Well
I agree
this is definitely the highest ground I’ve ever seen
but where are those angels
and streets paved with gold.
I didn’t see any pearly gate
and no one met me at the door.
It’s so strange here
I thought there would be answers
but there’s just more questions.
I thought I’d get some resolution out of this
but it’s like a dream without any direction.
Could this be purgatory
or some on the way station?
Is this what you have to go through
to get where you’re going?
If that’s the case
maybe it wasn’t too bad where I came from.
Maybe it wasn’t too bad where I was.
No, it wasn’t too bad at all.
So
let me rethink this
as I ponder my former earthy existence.
Maybe it’s the need to communicate with all of you
and send you some wisdom from the other side.
It’s a simple realization that I offer to you—
—don’t take it all for granted
with who and where you are right now.
Life is a magnificent cliché
so live it when you can
each and every day
for it will soon fade
like the last sunset you’ll ever see.
Biography
Joe Balaz lives in northeast Ohio . He is the author of Domino Buzz, a cd of music-poetry www.joebalaz.com He is
also a concrete poet and is coauthor of JOMA—online, an online gallery of concrete poetry and photography with Mary
Ellen Derwis, www.jomaonline.com.
Listen to .mp3 (opens in new window)
THE OTHER SIDE
I have just taken my last breath
and have entered our galaxy’s recycling center
into a black hole
as I turn into cosmic spaghetti
and fall towards singularity.
I’m rewinding myself into another universe
and the journey has just begun—
—how’s that for transcending?
So
this is the other side
cool
skyscrapers and everything—
—now I know what you mean
about being an alien Stevie Wonder.
I can see you made it here too
and you don’t need your sunglasses anymore.
Well
I agree
this is definitely the highest ground I’ve ever seen
but where are those angels
and streets paved with gold.
I didn’t see any pearly gate
and no one met me at the door.
It’s so strange here
I thought there would be answers
but there’s just more questions.
I thought I’d get some resolution out of this
but it’s like a dream without any direction.
Could this be purgatory
or some on the way station?
Is this what you have to go through
to get where you’re going?
If that’s the case
maybe it wasn’t too bad where I came from.
Maybe it wasn’t too bad where I was.
No, it wasn’t too bad at all.
So
let me rethink this
as I ponder my former earthy existence.
Maybe it’s the need to communicate with all of you
and send you some wisdom from the other side.
It’s a simple realization that I offer to you—
—don’t take it all for granted
with who and where you are right now.
Life is a magnificent cliché
so live it when you can
each and every day
for it will soon fade
like the last sunset you’ll ever see.
Biography
Joe Balaz lives in northeast Ohio . He is the author of Domino Buzz, a cd of music-poetry www.joebalaz.com He is
also a concrete poet and is coauthor of JOMA—online, an online gallery of concrete poetry and photography with Mary
Ellen Derwis, www.jomaonline.com.
| April 2007 Issue 11 |
