Patti Smith, Trampin’
In these times of tumult and brutality, Patti Smith has released a stunning album, one of her best ever. It’s passionate, it’s personal, it’s political. It says even though times are insane, now more than ever, reach for dreams of peace, freedom (and revolution.)
She’s always been my favorite mad poetess, offering visions of what could be, while illuminating the dark crevices of today, never giving up. We need more mad poetesses and a whole lot less war machines. This is life-affirming music and poetry, saying change is possible, that we can do it, and it delivers the message in a powerful, joyous, apocalyptic way. Wow.
Jubilee
We are love and the future
We stand in the midst of fury and weariness
Who dreams of joy and radiance?
Who dreams of war and sacrifice?
Our sacred realms are being squeezed
Curtailing civil liberties
Recruit the dreams that sing to thee
Let freedom ring
We will never fade away
Doves shall multiply
Yet I see hawks circling the sky
Scattering our glad day
With debt and despair
Other cuts include “Ghandi” and “Radio Baghdad”, both are amazing.
(And of course, “mad poetess” is just a metaphor.)