L E T T E R S

JackGalmitz

YetToBeNamedFreePress
StokeonTrent,England 2013

LETTERSJackGalmitz
Collection Copyright 2013 Yet To Be Named Free Press.IndividualpoemsarecopyrightofJackGalmitzand areusedwithpermission.Allrightsreserved. YetToBeNamedFreePress www.yettobenamedfreepress.org

ISBN13:9781481198769 ISBN10:1481198769

Foreword
Everyone'sinnerworldisworkedthroughbytravelingthe history of pioneers of modernism and that while "perspective"isgainedlikeinthedistanceoflookingatan oilpainting,I'vetriedtoachievethisendbyconcentrating on the flat surface of language and painting and the concretemusicofthe20thCanditslinktothemusicof thepoems. JackGalmitz,2013 Lettersisadifficultworkbutwellworththeeffort.Most of the poems in the collection are not shortverse, but withinthelongerpiecesshortextractsofgolddustcanbe found,I'llleaveyouwiththisone: Ifindyouintherobin,inthestemsoffishes, Inthefaceofstatuesofeminentcitizens And,whenyoudieandassumeanotherform, Iwillrecognizeyouandyouwillbeformeall. BrendanSlater,2013

ForThoseWhoListenToWhiteNoise

L E T T E R S
JackGalmitz

Abloodieddog wryingonthefloorbetween twowomenpraying

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Constellation Forthemodernsky ManinBombVest

Letters

TheHunterappears thedaydisappears

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Letters

WhoSawtheFuture
Europelayinruins. Thegrandarchitectureofcenturies reducedtopilesofrocks whereratscompetedwithpeople forfood,scavengingforwhatmightdo. Manyblamedtechnology,butoneknew itwasbarbarismthathadcausedthistruth andusedtechnologyasaruse. Intotheformlessmarchedanengineer, composer,acoustician,PierreSchaeffer, thepioneerofconcretemusic(realmusic). Unlikemanyintherubble,Schaefferdidnot thinkareturntotheclassicalwouldanswer: theclassicalwasbasedonabstractions(musicalnotations) producedasaudiblemusic:concretemusic(whichhe created) beginsfrombasephenomenaandtheirsoundsandafter abstractsthem intocomposition.Hecreatedmoretechnologytoachieve thisfeat:soundsfrommagnetictape,ataperecorder, chromatic, gramophonesandothers. Hemixedmediumsthesoundsoftrains,voices,pumping motors, watersplashingincityfountains,childrenwailing,and musical

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instruments,changedthetempos,thewavelengths,played partsbackwards, madearrangements.. Theotherartsfollowed:foundobjects,assemblages, collages,thedisjunction ofpoemsandnovels,thelanguageofeachartthe controller,ifitcould befairlysaidtherewasanyoneoranythingincontrol.

Letters

IminMelbourne
standingbeforethegianttheremin arustedpyramidshapedinstrument thatplaysmusicbymovementsinfront ofit(openventswithalargeantennae atopandanotheroneatopacylindrical versionofitselfnotfaroff.) Movementinfrontofone antennaecontrolsthepitchandmovement infrontoftheothercontrolsvolume. Iwatchafamilyrunningacrossitraising thevolumeandbeginningasymphony. Themotherhopsinfrontandalowpitched lineisscoredandjustbehindherhusbandjoins holdinghisdaughterandthetemporiseslike apianoforte.Thesoncomeandhopsupanddown andatrainpassesandthethereminmakesariotoussound aswaterplayedonapercussionofpebblesinasteeldrum. Theykeepitupforahouruntiltheyveproduceda memorablescore. BeforeIknowitImshoutingEncore.Encore.

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So,ItsRaining
Itsraining.Thewatershapesthegrass borrowsitsshape.Fromlenses oflightitgroundstothedarkundergroundbed. Itmakesyouthink.Whatstofear. Deathclarifieslife.Whenyou cantseeyourhandinfrontofyouremember touchingyourmothersface,playingtheclarinet, strikingwithabat,thetremblingthroughyourfingers ofawomansback,thewarmbrownofexpandingnipples ofthe aureolasofawomanschest. Wherenolightpenetratestheoceanfloorofsight brightensup: yourecallthefacesthatmeant.Yourwife.The imperfections disappear.Thesensuallips;theHanpeoplescheekbones; theyellow oftheEmperorsgownandcrownstrangelybrightasa lanternbeing carriedinagardennight.Yourfathercominghomeafter work, acherubandaman.Friendslikekittensfeigningfightsin thegrass. Whenyoucanthearthepoundingsilencebringsyounear: Thecrowdsriotousstadiumchants,thewhispers overheardonthe dankstreets,themomentsofintimacy,simplewordsthat heardheal andlightenyouasandironsandflue.Eventhecursesare cures

Letters

inthesightlesssilenthole. Iwatchthedropsfallinthebuckets,silentandtreacherous Asthebeastthatlovesyou.

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Letters

MASS
Themouthofthesaxophone isthebellyoftheplayer thebonesoftheplayer theveinsoftheplayer thefeetfeelingtheearth revertthevibrations likeanoscillator youshouldseethewaves intheair,inthedrinks whenMassplayshisbass it'slikethebirthofastar, agalaxy,theblackhole ofadyingstarbeingsuckedintonothing it'sthestreetsofsummer thenakedchildrenrunning undertheshoweroffireplugsopened screechingwithpleasure themothersupstairsintherooms likefurnacesthenightsundercovers ofcottonwithmen,husbandsthatmakeit allrightforawhile nothoughtsofloss,ofthosemissing toosoon therhythmisrightandwild likesomeoneflyingfromtheroof tosurrender.

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OnYou(Tube)
MortonFeldmansCrippledSymmetry oneandahalfhourslong justfournotesplayedover sometimesatdifferentspeeds, timbre,duration,differentinstrumentplayinganote touchingnotesonflute,percussion,celesta, youwanttotouch. Theboyinthegleeclubhasabeautiful voiceandface;hestandswithtwoothers ofequalgrace.Theauditoriumispacked. Hismotherandfatherarethereandproud. Hisvoiceistouching.Youwanttoreachout. Andhisface. Butnotsotheman.Somethinghappens tousall.Itsnotsomethingtoblame.

Letters

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Unadorned
Hownakedandcold wordslookinthesnow withoutprotectionfromthewind whippingwhiteandbrim (Ifeelasorrowallmyown) notevenastenciledabode aweatherwornboardtoprotect theunadornedword (protrudingfromthesnow likestifftwigstheirblackbones unbroken,nonatoned.) Iholdmybreathtonotadd frozenmoistureofmyown. Whatdotheysayincontrast Tothepenetratingwhitenothingspecial justshapeandheightandirregularlines thatmightdrawanartisttothissite. Iwouldlightafireandsetthemablaze IfIthoughtitwouldbringthemcomfort.

But,alas,theyrelikecattlethatroamedgreenhills andnowarewrappedinfreezers.

Letters

741hz
741hz(oftheSolfeggiofrequencies) calms.Ilistenandamsoothed. Themusicisaccompaniedbyavideo ofinterlacing,transparentpyramids (purple)turningwithinandthrough.The Gregorianchantinghelpsitmakesmefeel partofacommunityofsense. Anhour.Thepyramidsopendoorsandshutthem. Contrarytolaw,twothingsinthesamespacetime. Itslikeariveroffireflies wendingitswayoverreeds bytherailroadtracks. Intheendyouawake towhereyouare:unplannedbuildings, paintscrawl,shoutsoftoughmenscreamingmaricone. Agrayhairedclerkonthesubwayinfrayedcollarand sleeves withaboxcutterinhispocketthatheexhibitswithease. Itshome.

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Theoldwomans porousbones theZengardens porousstones

Letters

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IfIKnewWho
IfIknewwhoyouwere wecouldconverseonasubject wechose.Asitis,Imaman inisolationinawhiteroommarking inlinesthedaysIvebeenlockedupalone. Itsbetweenthepoemandthereader thatthepoemlives,otherwiseitsasimulacrum. IdontmeanIdwritetoplease, butIwouldbeinfluencedandunashamedofit. Ifyouhadlostaspouse,Iwouldntsaytimepasses, butImightobservetheorangeleavescracklingunderfoot andrecalltheiryounggreentendershootsandtheir smoothness. Ifyouhadrecentlymarried,Iwouldntwritean epithalamium, butImightwriteaboutthepeartreeblossomsliningFifth Avenue.Youknow,wereheretogether: lookatthatantstrugglingwithaleaffivetimesitssize tobringittothecolonysoitcansurvive.

Letters

TwoSparrows
Entangled.Fightingormating itshardtotellinthesunshine onMainStreetinFarmingdale whentwosparrows,oneatop theotheraregrapplingwithpassion. Iknowtheychatter,havedisputes, butwhenIleaneddownclosertolook Iwassurprisedthatsuchsmallbirds foughtwithsuchardor,withallittook. Iputmyfootnearthemtofrighten theaggressor,buthekeptpeckingtheother asifIwasnothing.Icouldseetheloserhadnt theenergytohoporflyaway.Hewasfinished. (Iwantedtocry). TheysayGodknowswheneverysparrowfalls. IthoughtmaybethatswhatImherefor.

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Letters

WordPaintingI
Intheirbriefmanifesto, BarnettNewman,MarkRothko&AdolphGottlieb (in1943)assertedtheworldofimaginationisviolently opposed tocommonsense,thattheywereforflatformsbecause theydestroyillusionandrevealtruth muchlikepoetry,paintingwithwords, whereitisunderstoodthatthemediumistwodimensional andbearsnorealrelationtodeceptionandarealworld. MywifeandItookaboattripdowntheSeine.Youcan see toitssamditssoclean.Parissmanyprominentbuildings weredisplayed:NotreDameCathedral(withaviewofthe flyingbuttresses), theEiffelTower,theMuseeduLouvre,PontNeuf(a16th Centurybridge), GrandPalais,andonthestepsofthequaysitseemedall Parisianswerelying inthesunthatday. Remember,noneofthisreferstostructuresofsense, dimension,texture,time ortheromanceofitall. Itis14pt.NewTimesRoman.

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Iwouldknowyou
Iwouldknowyouanywhere: Buyingdryblackmushrooms InShanghaikneltonthefloor, Yourfacesharpasasword; Orlookingforastraythoughtlost Inthecloudsthattorethrough Thegorgefromwhichyouwereborn: Allwaterfallandall; AmongstcrowdsthatformedinTimesSquare OnV.J.Daytocelebratetheendofthewar, Yourfacewouldbebymeinformed; Andifyouwereamansteepedincrowds OnBombaysstreetstocatchatrolleycar, Wouldyoubebymeinlovereborn. Funny.Whenyouarethereacross Thetableorrestinginachair, Ithinknothingofit.Itssofamiliar, Asclearasacrystalbowlofapplesandpears. But,whenImgoneintotherunning onthestreetsofourcity,

Ifindyouintherobin,inthestemsoffishes, Inthefaceofstatuesofeminentcitizens And,whenyoudieandassumeanotherform, Iwillrecognizeyouandyouwillbeformeall.

Letters

WeatherReport
Iexcludethenews neverreadapaper Ijustgooutside toknowtheweather Now,itsfall (forever) Icantellbecause childrenwontmakewayforme (anoldmanofweathers) asweapproach(onthestreet)eachother Yet,Iliketheyellowing burningbrown (theexposureoflignintosunlightandair) inoldhistoricaldocuments &ingoldenlocusttrees (withtheirdryingfruit) thatshakenmakemusic likeguiros.

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Charnelhouse,myhouse Concretefloor,staleair Unpaintedwallsforyears t.v.lightonme &mybonesonthechair

Letters

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OnaCollage
Whenweawoke&realizedwewerenotalonewewere morealone. Theytherewasanagewhenwelivedwithoutconsidering things ,andthenwecouldseethatthestemsofplantsandtrees werelikeourspines,thespewingwaterfallthemoistureon ourlips,thegrass,themossandshrubsourhairyarms, legs,sexualparts. Withthisknowledgewelearnedtomakeateepeethathad noflatlinesandthewindwouldnotbringitdown,lodges, andevenpagodas,andnowwebuildtoweringbuildings ofglassandsteelthatreflectthesky,theclouds, sometimesbirdsscurryinghome,wemadeblankets, clothes,fencesforanimals,mostlyhorses,andintheend borders. Itcomestothis:alinedivides.Nothingremainsinthe middle,everythingisoneitherside. Thelinethatjoinstwopoints,thelinethatmakescreation, thelinethatdrawsresemblancesisalsothatwhichmakes conflictandstrife:whiletwothingsunlikearepotentially joined,thereisanupperandunderwherethereisaline andwithmovementofthetwocomethetenthousand things.Theresnowayaroundit. So,whileweknowthatahumanislikeus,webeginto practicedistinction:Africanscarificationuseddistinct symbolsfordifferenttribes,andAmericanIndiansused paintontheirfacesandponiestomakethemsomething otherthanhuman,fierce,themaskofagod. Yet,theriflesthatshotleadinastraightlineleadtothe TrailofTears,reservations,lossoftraditions,alcoholism, andthesnappingofthesoulofnaturetothosewhostill livedinitasinthesacred.

Letters

IFellFromtheSky
bytherailroadtracks luckyforme therewasacarchassis andlandedinthereeds tosleepin(suchease) Icouldsee thatcurveahead wherethetrains disappear intothegreen ofanotheryear luckyforme Ifellfromthesky Itslonelythere

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Letters

I'mWalkingWithout
Imwalkingwithoutdirection.AmIlost?OnlyifIam goingsomeplace.Imnot.Ivelivedmylifelikethis.Do Irecommendit?Idonot.Ivelearnedalot.Gradations ofthesmallestdegree.Howgrassdiffersfromearth. Concrete.Cobblestone.Icethatissafe.Icethatisnot. Whenamansdanglingarmsaredangerous.Whennot. WhenIwalkmybodymyAchillestendonshurt.When mybodyleadsitssoft.Iknowwheretheyunload carcassesofskinnedgoats.Iknowwhereyoungmenplay basketball.Handball.Totakeofftheirshirts.Iknowthe soundsofrainoncanvasawnings.Iknowthesoundsof rainonaluminumawnings.Iknowwherethehomeless hangout.Iknowthegraffitiartists.Iknowwheretobuy thecheapestcigarettelighters.Iknowthesoundofrainon thepeakofmycap.Iknowthewornsmoothsurfacesof manholesandwheretheyweremade.Iknowwhichfruit standshavefluorescentlightsflickering.Iknowthemen whodeliverlivefishfromtruckstotheChinesemarkets andtheheavinessoftheirrubberapronsandboots.Iknow whereIcangetcomidaschinosylatinos.Imnotvery smart.Iknowwheretofindblackmarketcigarettesin NewYork.Iknowwhichwayisnorthbythegrowthof mossonthetrees.IusedtobeashandsomeasRudolph ValentinoandIknowwhatitsliketohavetoproveyour wholelifeyouaremanly.Now,noonelooksatme.Ive becometheshapeandcolorofabrickfaade,thesky,a windowwithmerchandise,aparkedcar,anythingyou want.Iboughtapieceofchalkandwroteapoemona wall:Shewasduethedoctorsdeliveredaredballoon.Im walkingwithoutdirection.Ifyourefollowingmestop. Turnaway.Getlostyourself.

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IWrite
Iwritetossingaballintheair Idonotmentionwhere,when, asitsstillhappeningbytense, northeforceorspeedorthewind orthegravitationalpullortheorbit oftheearthorsun,constantsweknow andIwonderifitremainsaphraseorhasitbecome somethingelse. IwriteCaution:CotentsHot Soitisnolongeralegalwarning, nolongerareferent,bereft? Iwriteittonoone,includingmyself: itisnotaninternalconversation, nokindofexchange justwordsonthepage withorwithoutmeaning? IwriteCardinalParAvion Fromviewingastamp Itseemsrightcardinals areinflightandairmailisinflight anditrecallsourancestralpastwhenbirds carriedmessagesbackandforth,heretothere. Itevenhashumor,ifyoulookhardenough. Isitaphrase?Doesithavetorisetobeotherwise. Whendowordspassfromusage,fromsounds andideastopoemsandtheirunimportance?
Letters

So,WhatDoYouDo
thinkofthis blue after noon acanarysbelly carvedin thebark ofatree itmay havebeennight andtheyoung couldntletgo they weretwosides ofanIndianhead coin thatshowitstarted therestyouknew theycouldonlyfly atbestinthebloodubloomoftheboot totheclouds dreamtbynochurchnderthebridge inthewest ern hemisphere

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Letters

WorkBackwards
Thelinemoveson. Eachmanwithatray Thebeardhairsturngray. Sentencedwithoutatrial foracrimeunnamed. Icantcomplain. Itsatrade: thefieldsofwintergrain, thewhitechurchesintherain, thestoneangelstrumpetsatthegraves, thebindweedclimbingfencedchains. Besilent!Theresholiness. Wordscannotreproduceanyrealthing. BeaTrappistmonk.Work.Hoe. Harvest.Eat.Praywithoutwords. Sleep.Sleep. Workbackwards Beforeyouweregiventheroletoname.

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Letters