SULKY ANGLE: THE POETRY OF PATTI SMITH

Patti Smith's name has been seen in our pages often — as record reviewer, as chronicler of the mythic history of the Rolling Stones, above all as poet. For it is the grittiest poetic instinct of the 70s which supremely imbues all of her work. We don't often print what's stamped officially as "poetry" in CREEM, but then poetry like Patti's don't come knockin" every day. Because above all Patti's poetry is rock "n" roll splattered in a vibrating mosaic on the printed page; you can shake with it, and you love her for it, as Jaan Uhelszki makes clear.

Lester Bangs

SOUL JIVE

strychnine like morphine like

invisible tremendous, born in the church of the first born, the .first to. breathe air the last one to survive the human form.

caught in the rib it bigger than de black eyed pea. tapping de cage lightly, relentless unceasing beat, a Chinese water drip, marvin gaye is ho faify. hummingbird better move, soul is big pig. antagonizing every fiber and limb, see it cake walk, see it gobble peyote, zip up the sacred wafer he is magi, no longer content with dull bone tap. king nigger wanna dance, want to zoom hot to travel.

now it play part of sulky angel, betta shut yo mouth it want out. see you rocking on the bed. dats soul simulating sea water, warning against seasick, must not vomit out.

now a marvelous bird, invisible tremendous too cruel to be a hero, beating those big bird arms to get out and out there, soul alter the entire circumference of the sky. blue wide and like a dream.

break dat spirit, skin come back into focus, back where the Word is respected feared adored, being burdened with the body is sweet so sleep.

soul, thus defeated, is put in place, a deserted wife, royal ash. one most wretched and blessed, see dat soul stay there, caged and red-eyed like a rat.

Patti Smith is bad. A fallen rock and roll angel, but still an angel. She smokes cigarettes, drinks hard liquor and dreams dreams. Dirty dreams, fever dreams, and perfect dreams. Best part is, Patti is willing to share her wild-foot visions. She'll get you dizzy drunk with her dream food, and maybe transport you to the foot of Rimbaud's grave, whisk you off to her neon wonderworld of 42nd street and finally deposit you back into "real life." Patti, well she's got better things to do; magick to make, heroes to worship, demon rhythms to dance to...

Jaan Uhelszki

RAPE

yum yum the stars are out. I'll never forget how you smelled that night, like Cheddar cheese melting under fluorescent light, like a day old rainbow fish, what adish, gotta lick my lips, gotta dream I daydream, thorazine brain cloud, rain rain comes coming down.

all over her. there she is on the hill, pale as a posy, getting soaking wet. hope her petticoats shrink, well little shepherd girl your gonna kingdom come, looking so clean, the guardian of eyery little lamb, well beep beep sheep I'm moving in.

I'm gonna peep in bo's bodice, lay down darling don't be modest let me slip my hand in. ohhh thats soft thats nice thats not used up. ohhh don't cry wet whats wet? oh that, heh heh. thats just the rain lambie pie. now don't squirm, let me put my rubber on. I'm a wolf in a lamb skin trojan, ohh yeah thats hard thats good, now don't tighten up. open up be-bop. lift that little butt up. ummm open wider be-bop. come on. nothing, can. stop me. nowr ohhh ahhh. isnt that good. my. melancholy be-bop.

Oh don't cry. come on get up, lets dance in the grass.

lets cut a rug lets jitterbug, roll those tiny white

stockings down, bobby sock-o lets flow, come on this is a

dance contest, under the stars, lets alice in the grass'.

lets swing betty boop hoop

lets birdland lets stroll

lets rock lets roll

lets whalebone lets go

lets deodorize the night.

DETROIT PIANO

Oh what a night, look at that red head with the strapless, love at first sight, shake shoulders, white shoulders, black gloves, ballroom.

In the backroom, a poker game, big stakes, hard meat, yer hand or yer life hammurabi.

bet her sweet ass. cut. deal, set em up. stack up the cans, draft, tap. lucky bitch, lucky deuce, lucky stale beer. Blackjack.

Bingo! the floor show, double diamonds, black buddah. call him anything good or bad, he's immuned. he's been perfect too long, he's a prince.

Smokey Robinson. What a Miracle, what a thrill, dizzy, staggering, makes the head swim.

lame'.his suit is powdered with diamonds, the room reaks of rythum. regimentation, was there ever a majorette as moving? as precise, was there ever a boxer, a better dancer.

Smokey. the prince, even more precious than, and that voice box! breath hiss.

Baby, he falls on one knee, baby baby baby

baby ball buster.

ha. the red head has had one too many, three fbr the road, ha. the dance floor needs waxing, that ones corsage needs watering, but who's complaining?

that one: he lost his shirt

that one: he asked for RED wine

that one: his Mercury was towed away

hey. kitchens closed buddy, ya missed the floorshow sam.

Suddenly just like in the movies shots ring out. god damn gamblers, this time it was the king pin. got his face blown out.

opened his trap and got it shut permanently, said the right thing at the wrong time.

who wound the dames up? be it massacre or mouse, they can't keep their mouths shut.

yeah ladies scream, people leave without their hat. check, the uh singer left in a limousine the red head simply left.

bad timing that all...

Oh 4 a.m. closing time

pianos outta tune A1

fix it for me will ya A1

I like to run my, fingers over the keys

over the ivories

when they're in tune

thanks A1

good nite A1

goodnight All

goodnight sweetheart

goodnight ladies

goodnight ladies

goodnight ladies