a line on me

I don’t exactly remember who turned me on to the music/rock group ‘Spirit,’ it may have been a kid named Bob Mulroy from New Bedford, Massachusetts. A guy with whom I experienced very many substance abuse adventures on Cape Cod the school year of ’68/’69. One of the Spirit songs I’ve always liked is “Fresh Garbage,” with it’s fun opening line, “Remarking on the freshness of garbage.” I know that’s likely not your thing. You may be more familiar with “I’ve Got a Line On You” and “Dark-eyed Woman.” Even “Nature’s Way” and “Mr. Skin.”

Mostly these days I don’t try to coordinate or navigate or ruminate or promulgate or even frustrate the way my mind works. ‘Spirit’ shows up drinking coffee in a chair and now there’s something to write about. And two days in a row referencing Cape Cod Community College – yesterday’s “20 hours of schooling,” today as background of learning how to play bridge and struggling with personal relationships and taking acid. There’s never actually that much schooling going on.

Cape Cod is a truly wondrous place – considering half a zillion summer people – and I’m glad something like a magic carpet has brought me back. I was slightly more responsible when I was Director of Housing for the AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod in ’07/’08, and my books of poetry are informed by and filled up with endless summer moments from the Cape Cod Rail Trail.

“It’s nature’s way of receiving you, it’s nature’s way of retrieving you…” – ‘Spirit’