Like a broken actor
fading in the cameras’ lens
his final performance
in stage chambers
dark and dusky
his pummeled ego
fragile as eggshell
here mingled midst
a failed feast
of footlight flunkies
who hiss and howl
at his presumptive intrusion
into their vacuum-tubed world
these toothless lions
these shunned voice-overs
of the b-movie universe
draped in panic
a parade of fading phantoms
lost in the age of radio
each an empty sound-booth soul
he — and these embittered strangers
stuffed full of their soured sorrow
step to their carbon-grained mics
as movingly vocabular as a cadaver
each dumbed to wordlessness
spirits deathly cold
they weep
*
rob kistner © 2022
Poetry at: Shay’s Word Garden
“a parade of fading phantoms
lost in the age of radio” – Yes.
…of course JR… 🙂
Yikes. Time to change the station! This is a vividly descriptive piece, Rob. And “Texas Radio” is a classic.
Thank you Shay very much. So nice to see you visit my friend. Hope you can visit more frequently. Texas Radio is a strong, no excuses track. Jim sounds bold snd throaty, and Densmore’s occasional syncopated double rhythms on his snare are brilliant! Also, enjoyed Jim’s poetry here. 🙂
This is very powerful, Rob! Dark and beautiful turns of phrase. Love the spooky imagery. My favourites:
“his pummeled ego
fragile as eggshell”
“these toothless lions
shunned voice-overs
of the b-movie universe
draped in panic”
“a parade of fading phantoms
lost in the age of radio”
“each dumbed to wordlessness
spirits deathly cold
they weep”
<3
Thank you very much Sunra, I genuinely appreciate your gracious words… 🙂
Very moving. So many wonderful metaphors of shallow imitations, “each an empty studio-booth soul,” “dumbed to wordlessness” in the presence of the lion even in his final performance. The deep sense of loss, mourning comes through them all.
Thank you so much Dora… 🙂
I love the alliteration in “a failed feast of footlight flunkies”. Excellent word play. I remember when radio was our entertainment, as tv is today.
Thank you Sherry… 🙂 I loved when FM Stereo radio began to rise to came to the forefront in 1961. The FCC authorized regular stereo FM to start June 1, 1961. WGFM (now WRVE, Schenectady, N.Y.) was the first station to go stereo at midnight. FM Radio became king of the youth universe as these stations began playing stereo album rock in the mid 60’s, and the record industry began churning out quality stereo vinyl for the youth audience (we Baby Boomers). The growth of Stereo FM stations parallels with the growth of the Beatles, the ”British Invasion” of rock groups, as America couldn’t get enough of the Brit bands. FM stereo radio further exploded with the West Coast rock groups pouring out of Haight Ashbury in San Francisco, and Laurel Canyon in LA. Rock bands began growing like wildfire across the USA, and England — and FM stereo radio fed tock music to us 24/7. Many FM disc jockey’s became rock stars themselves. It was the golden age of rock and FM stereo radio.
He was fragile as an egg shell. I never ever get tired of his music and Texas Radio is great. Good use of the list words!
Thank you Yvonne. When the Lizard King was “on” it was a fine experience. The crux of this SOC piece seemed to turn focus to the Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell types, stuck in the past, who can’t or refuse to see that the world is changing. That misogyny, racism, social injustice — that all this need, not and should not exist in our modern world. The “dinosaur chickens” who continue to cackle with their “carbon-grain microphone” minds and mouths, their dangerous backward thinking, trying to make the world into their distorted, antique vision, making it hell on the rest of us.
“stuffed full of their soured sorrow..” Liked this very much Rob–and I have to say that phrase describes so many who had such gifts and squandered them, and I can relate myself–it’s a period of life we all go through I guess, but one that some get lost in and from which they never emerge. Great echoes of that whole radio age here.
Thank you Joy! 🙂 …this was SOC, following Shay’s words where they led me. But it really appears in the journey I subconsciously envisioned those stuck in the past who can’t or refuse to see that the world is changing. That misogyny, racism, social injustice — that all this need, not and should not exist in our modern world. The Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell types, who cry and rail over the change, refusing to let it happen naturally. The dinosaur chickens who continue to cackle with their carbon-grain microphone minds and mouths, trying to make the world into their distorted, antique vision, making it hell on the rest of us. All dinosaurs should be extinct today, especially that pack of evil dinosaurs!