What Is The Thick Black Line?

What Is The Thick Black Line?

To hear the poet read "What Is The Thick..." click here. [522k AIFF file] *

What's bugging me, what's all the big shout?
What's this skinny finger that points out all the way?
Hoop hurrah, blessed effort, scram, bang.
Sneak over blipful effort, shake loose of your dream.
Smack down, whole,
What makes me tighten up and make like to dissolve a lump.
Uneasy if I choose, what a bomba feeling, little boy,

little guy, little chico.
Grubby your hopes, but yours--
What's bugging me, hell
What's buggin' you?
Want to cry--no tears, worse.
Cry inside, sobs without sound, ache without pain.
Cry soft, let no one dig your role.
Help, scramble an egg, mess.
What's happening on the outside?
Keep on pushing, man
It's for your coon, boon pal.
What's the use, says you.
Hell's on a coal kick.
Says me, what's the big kick in your life?
What's the thick black line running through your life?
Those heartburns, that rumble warning.

So be it.
Why do your eyes hurt?
You press your heart, you think of grapes,
A sweet streak of understanding, a hungry awareness.
You scratch the wall of your heart, bully for you
Still think you're a creep?
Panín, what's the thick black line?
Hey, you're smiling.

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* (Although these audio files have been heavily compressed, they are still large and will load slowly, even if you have a relatively fast 28.8 modem connection. With an average 2.5k/sec. download rate, a 300k sound file may take up to 2 minutes to load, a 1,200k file anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes.
However, your patience will be rewarded. Piri's intense readings are a true joy to listen to, and give the written word much depth and "flow.")