Michael C. Ford: This Isn/t a Poem

Michael C. Ford has, since 1984, recorded 81 spoken word tracks on vinyl, CD and laser disk formats. Since 1970, a wide range of indie presses have published approx. 25 volumes of pint documents.

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THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is your heart turning into 
                    hungry Peruvian reptiles
THIS ISN/T A POEM;  this is something which will
                    shove you  into a blinding 
                    light area of your brain                                                            
THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is something which will 
                    force you into a brand new 
                    madness
THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is a man walking down into 
                    an active volcano
THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is a rock being whipped by 
                    a Tallahassee hurricane
THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is a language system which   
                    allows you  to die as people  
                    were meant to die: with grand
                    illusions and ideals & dreams                                                               
THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is Allende assassinated in 
                    Chile by CIA-sanctioned gun-                
                    slingers and legal authorities
THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is Pablo Neruda being 
                    arrested for protesting the 
                    murder of Communist peasants
THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is Marcos marshalling the                  
                    poor in Chiapas to arm against  
                    a United States supported     
                    Fascist government in Mexico

Radio Intro (2)

THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is a N0-Doze capsule for             
                    the tragic and tender clones   
                    of University creative writing 
                    programs encouraging poetry 
                    workshop dilettantes who are 
                    dull  and witless and will put    
                    you to sleep                                                                                                                                                                   

THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is a manifesto for you who
                    don/t think I/m talking about 
                    you

THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is a what will be rejected by 
                    clueless, gutless editors and   
                    publishers and other poetry                       
                    politicians who poison the rebel 
                    spirits in this art form every 
                    time they breathe on it                                

THIS ISN/T A POEM:  this is the way we can figure out 
                    a way to make them all stop  
                    breathing

Photo of the poet by Jill Jarrett.