Christmas Wishes From Ron English

Here is a festive poem from artist Ron English to brighten your holidays.

I don’t mean to offend
Or speak out of turn
But the man they called Jesus
Shall never return
He’s not indifferent
Or above our concern
2000 years later
We still haven’t learned
No matter how we may pray
No matter how we may yearn
No ascension
No return
No he’s not in heaven
No he’s not in an urn
He’s not in that place
Where sinners all burn
No Jesus never died
High up on that cross
No human kind
Never suffered that loss
Being a martyr
Just wasn’t his role
Dying so young
Just wasn’t his goal
Jesus just aged
Into a jolly ole soul
On top of the world
High on the North Pole

Jim Carroll R.I.P.

The New York City poet and musician died last Friday at the age of 60 of an apparent heart attack. In the late seventies he fronted the Jim Carroll Band who got a record deal with a little help from Keith Richards. Much like Patti Smith he was taken in by the early punk rock scene that was exploding in NYC at the time. He is best know for his book Basketball Diaries about his young days as a high school basketball star who lived a double life as a junkie and hustler.