This is purely a paean to myself, an ego trip, creating a cyberspace eternity for my college poetry.
I was a Froshie and a Sophomore at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota, from September of 1958 through June, 1960. I fancied myself to be a poet and one of the Beatniks, one of the hip people. My fellow students on campus tended to humor me, occasionally calling me Kookie as I pleaded with them to do. A number of my poems were recorded in a small publication, Prairie Winds, Spring 1960. I was not even given credit for my signature poem, Beatnik, which appears anonymously in the little pamphlet. They even spelled my last name wrong, "Bachman."
BEATNIK
I'm a little beatnik,
My thoughts emanicipate,
During the process of outletation
I drive people
mad!
mad!
mad!
It's my favorite occupation.
CONTEMPORARY
By Karen Bachman
Slow down .... slow down, you say.
Slow down, we have not had time
to adjust ourselves.
Static toads!
The time is coming
When adjustment
to settled things
is nonexistent.
For
you will have to be as
pliable as the reeds
you!
will have to throw away
your right, rigid corsets of security.
Everything will be scattered hell.
No man can trust no man.
Yet, they will together hope
for the dawning
the revealing of mysteries
Though their hopes are false
and they know it.
In honor of the times I made a foray into decadence:
HIGH SOCIETY
By Karen Bachman
"Me!"
I'm for the High Society
Want to slink in mink
Don't care what you think
I like to live high
Collecting Picasso,
Rembrant,
Maybe Men!
I'll love them all,
I'll be a ringading dandy of a party girl!
But the difference is diamonds.
While jawin' with continental Aly Khan,
"Aly," I'll say, "dear chap,
You really should grow a cookie duster
And you'll really look like a real sheik."
If I like sometimes I'll go skindiving
-- In my skin
Won't be a sin
If I stink with mink
I can give the prudes the
rah-de-dah
Parties -- darling!
Fabulous parties,
Swimming in champagne
Though I think Scotch is better
Boating on the River Seine
Oh! to put Auntie Mame
To shame!
I cannot consciously credit myself with being prescient of the reign of Reagan and Bush and the possible reign of Romney.
I just think we recycle our decadence and debauchery every twenty years.
Two more poems to come in another post.