Hollywood
God
back
in the day
when
I worked for
the
Chicago Film Festival
“They”
debuted:
On
Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
at
the Ol’ Granada Theater
later,
there was an after-party
at
Bonwit Teller;
everyone
in tuxes, me in patched jeans
and
wool beret…
and
there’s Jack grinning
that
Diamond Jack seductive smile
almost
everyone bowing
and
intimidated by him.
So
I recall what he once yelled at Walt Frazier
as
he was about to shoot a free-throw
in
the NY/LA NBA finals that summer.
“Hey
Frazier, you’re the third best guard in the league
and
you don’t move up until somebody dies!”
It
was brilliant and his voice echoed in my kitchen.
1
year later: when Fate was kind, Jack was at
the
Bonwit Teller
after-party
huge
aura’d yet standing alone
so
I decided to saunter up to him with my busy mind and say,
“Hey
Jack, I hear you’re the third best actor in Hollywood
and
you don’t move up until somebody dies.”
In
an instant there’s the sparkly grin as he looks me
in
the eyes
and
replies, “You got it wrong kid, they’re already dead.”
For
Those Who Give God Time
for
the real truth seekers
above
the wishes of personal stars,
for
the long gain and
the
luck, for the piece of Earth
that
tells the soul
it’s
all worthwhile
for
the mothers that perish
confused
in faith and
the
fathers that try stung by fate
for
the soldiers who
never
had a chance
and
all the others
who
never had a prayer
for
the poor, the rich
the
sick and the crying
for
the silly laughter
of
many hearts flying
for
the holy consistent
who
cherish something
be
saved
for
the wonder of life
and
how it’s displayed
for
those who give God
time
for something to say
Mass Fast
kneeling
at the altar
poised
to play the chimes
Father
Limonoski
ascended
the breaking dawn
chapel
stairs,
a
World War II chaplain
during
the Battle of the Bulge
his
portable altar
on
the move for war
now
a 1960’s cold war priest,
like
a spiritual pro
he
deals communion wafers
like
poker
on
the tongues of nuns
white
frisbees
on
a cold winter morning
Father
Limo would get you
through
The Last Supper
in
a ten-minute Christian time flash
and
he didn’t care if you
chewed
the Host or not
Side Effects
Side
effects may include
reduction
of white blood
cells,
loss of identity
bongo
heart beat
thoughts
of suicide
thoughts
of living
forever
perfect
love
weight
gain
memory
loss
memory
gain
blank
spots
hologram
cartoons
loss
of breath
possible
death
possible
resurrection
panic
attack
attacks
of well-being
water
as an enemy
the
sun as a weapon
clown
hallucinations possible
take
as directed
(may
cause drowsiness)
(Make
sure to finish all medication)
2 Do’s and a Don’t
if
money could talk
it
would
and
it does
if
looks could kill
they
would
and
they do
If
people would listen
they’d
learn but they don’t
On the Other Side
some smell sweet
in life
some smell sweet
in death
when she found the
dead bird
on the couch
it didn't smell at
all;
in the beginning
or the end
it's all the same
triangle
of logic and
emotion
a frozen
experience
clinging to a
window of fire
like the Power
Ballad just
waiting to go off
we are all as
fragile
as the next breath
we take
as certain as a
nervous Starling
wandering free
in a three-cat
house
(Terry
Jacobus October 21, 1948 – July 22, 2023)
Terry was my friend. We met in 1970 in a poetry workshop class taught by Ed Dorn.
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