Challenging the rebellious images of poetry... 1. The early morning poem reference... "It's 1AM, 2AM, 3AM, 4AM and I am here, exploring Life and emptiness while the world sleeps." Look everyone poets are rebels! They stay up late! Great Gawd Amighty! They're heathenous rebels for sure! Well, I don't know about that, but I for one am worried about poets that write these early morning poems. They may very well be suffering from insomnia, a treatable affliction. There is nothing rebellious about insomnia. They should consult a physician. Besides...the world is not sleeping. Somewhere, it's 9AM and these poets are late for work. 2. Copious references to drinking, taking drugs and/or smoking... reference Charles Bukowski, Jim Carroll Well...two of these three things are legal pursuits in this part of the world. There is nothing rebellious about abiding by the law. There is nothing rebellious about lining the pockets of major, worldwide conglomerates while your body implodes from using their products. There is nothing rebellious in being Whitey's bitch or paying for the joy of getting fucked. On the other hand, taking drugs is rebellious. It is illegal. Breaking the law constitutes rebellion. Rebellion is cool! Yes...it's true. You are cool. You are as cool as an orthodontist's son from Peoria, Illinois shooting up in Daddy's basement wood paneled rumpus room. You are as cool as a lumber salesman from Oshkosh, Wisconsin doing lines off an end table at a Motel 6 by the airport in Kalamazoo, Michigan. You are as cool as a crack whore wandering the traffic circle in Riverhead, New York. Come on, $2 man, I’ll take you to heaven. You don’t have $2? How about the change in your ashtray? You...are cool. I want to be just like you. 3. Poems or lines of poetry about...*GASP*...sex "Her pubic hair was like candy floss and I...I was very hungry." Sex shocks and titillates. Poets employ lyric, sometimes graphic images about sex to shock and to titillate thier readers. Shocking and titillating things could possibly construed as rebellious. I suppose. I just wish poets would spend less time writing about getting laid and more time actually getting laid. If they did this, then there might not be time for them to write poetry about getting laid. Because, frankly, reading poetry about getting laid is the sexual equivalent of diet soda. It's a pale, pale imitation and all things being equal, you'd rather be fucking. There's absolutely nothing rebellious about drinking diet soda. 4. Feminist poets who believe it is rebellious to write about menstruation... "My lotus seeps the crimson of the Earth womb Mother ..." In your face male domination and hegemony! I am woman! RARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! This was indeed rebellion back in 1957 when there weren’t any gay people, when the world lived in various and many closets, when proper people just didn't discuss such things. But this is 2004... This is not so much rebellion anymore as, "Oh...you too? Poor dear. But was a poem about it really the answer?" Besides...Kathleen Hanna reached the pinnacle of this mountain long ago at a rock and roll show. You can look it up. 5. Conclusion... I should have a long stanza here about what rebellion really is. There should be a long catalog with several examples of what rebellion should be. There should be a recipe for everyone to follow so they can make their own perfect rebellion like a chocolate souffle. This is what other poets and writers do after pointing out life's fallacies, myths, half truths and lies. In other words, "Here are the lies according to me. These are the truths according to me. Don't trust them. Trust me." I'm sorry, I have failed you. I don't have a catalog or a list or a recipe for you to follow. I thought I did once, but I was very wrong. I don't know that you should trust me any more than these other poets that pretend to know about life about rebellion about shit. I'm sorry, I have failed you. I'm sorry, we have failed you. I'm sorry, you're on your own, kid. I'm sorry, we are always on our own. I'm sorry.