Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Remote Viewing



image by marvelcomics.com 


Remote Viewing

“If a man can bridge the gap between life & death,
if he can live on after he’s dead, then maybe he was
a great man.”--James Dean.

Deadman is pleased, for he has a lot
                                   of advantages, like eradication of ethnicity,
                                   but                          retention of identity.
Souls are not made out of tickey-tackey--
                are not just the same, more like
                                   stars, snowflakes, crystals, grains of sand;
                                             all very much individuals.
Deadman is a proud participant in the    
                Cosmic Society of Deadmen.

Deadman understands about,            pals around with
                                                Death; & is happy to promulgate
the message that fear of it is folly, just
                      dancing in the chorus of the
                      Follies Ignoramus, that Doorway,
                                                            Transition,
                                                            Transformation
                                                             Ascension
are its true tenants; so it probably is prudent,
                     to erase notions of          Oblivion,
                                                             Limbo, or
                                                             Nothingness, unless
unfortunately if the entity that inhabited the husk,
                     an offspring of both beforelife & afterlife,
                     bought into, actually believed the          Big Lie,
& therefore wills itself into darkness for a time,
                     yet even that is not the dead end,
                     for even a dirt nap is something one awakens from,
and does become merely a blip, a blink,
there on the outskirts of Otherworld.

******************************************

My favorite Deadman
was born at Marvel, not DC,
drawn by Neal Adams, the ghost
                of Boston Brand,
             a circus performer who called himself
Deadman,
            who wore red tights, had a cool smallish cape,
                            shaved his head, & wore
                                              white corpse make-up.

************************************

Deadman possesses the truth,
                 though leagues from empirical, 
        and can now smile at all those glittering theories
of Philosophy,
    Religion,
    Mythology,
    Fiction,
    Pseudo-Science &
    Science Fiction, reminiscent of armies of ants,
                               all scurrying about hoisting their crumbs
                               of insight, straining to construct    a workable image
of the Whole out of the tiniest of portions, 
seeking verification, canonization, substantiation, creating
                               a bogus blueprint of a 1937 Rolls Royce
                                             with only the hood ornament
                                             to guide them. 

************************************

Deadman was killed by the Hook,
a novice assassin, leaving
Boston Brand as specter, but now
            capable of free flight, 
            teleportation, with the marvelous ability
                    to heal,       
                    to reanimate the dead (white light), &
                    to resurrect the dead   (black light), &
cooler yet the fabulous ability
                    to completely possess any sentient being.

**********************************

Yes, Deadman performs in our circus, soap opera, or carnival,
part tightrope walker,
       sin eater, spirit guide, sage, & jester. 
                       balancing on that thin line that separates
       the real & unreal,
       the living & the dead, more or less undead,
                        but not zombie-like, more like an ethereal knight,
discarnate yet compassionate, wise, evolved. 

******************************************

Deadman is pleased that Stan Lee the Elder
has become a billionaire,
that CGI has allowed his comic compeers to rule
the fantasy & science fiction of modern filmdom,
that pencil pals Neal Adams & Jim Steranko
are finally recognized for their Art,
that Frank Frazetta did paint with both fire & ice, &
that Robert Downey, Jr. has flat out nailed Iron Man. 

*********************************************

Deadman knows             that Here-to-fore & Hereafter, 
                 Life exists, is indestructible,
                                       independent,
                                       inexorable, 
                                       infinite, a forever child,
that death is a dominion beyond place,
                     a dimension without walls, barrier, borders,
                     or restrictions;  both
a pragmatic portal & a pleasant Way Station, a spiritual spa,
& damn rights                        Deadman is forever busy
whispering to trillions of higher selves, 
for his Truth is interstellar,
                      & his companions are more than legion,
                                                          more than legend;
                      active, positive, pure, & eveready, so
dig it like a Deadman, for
it beats the hell out of the alternative. 
                      

Glenn Buttkus

Posted over at dVerse Poets Poetics

Would you like to hear the author read this poem to you?

24 comments:

Brian Miller said...

ha. i almost went with a deadman comics picture...nice spacing with knows and pals around with death...and teaches us as well not to fear it...cool lines....the roles you have for deadman further on...from the circus to otherwise...think i will go dig it like a deadman, for as long as i can...smiles.

Mary said...

How fascinating, Glenn, to read about this comic book character. I have never heard of him. I have no doubt he possesses the truth. I think once one is dead the truth is clear...black and white, with no gray. I would guess Deadman is happy being forever busy passing his truth on. And, ha, I like that it 'beats the hell out of the alternative. Smiles.

Gabriella said...

"Deadman is pleased, for he has a lot of advantages, like eradication of ethnicity, but retention of identity. ' - I wish we did not have to wait for people to be dead to eradicate ethnicity, or at least to live in a world where it matters over other things that define us, at the detriment of our true identity.

Claudia said...

you almost make me wanna wear red tights...smiles
he has the advantage that certain things don't count for him anymore... that certainly makes life easier... a cool piece glenn

brudberg said...

Have to say i didn't know about Deadman from a Marvel perspective.. makes it weird to know he was killed.. almost like the opposite of a dead man... (what a little space can do..)... thank you for sharing this marvelous marvel

Anonymous said...

Great closing lines. But my favorite is the third stanza. Your words are rich with wisdom and you make me believe in the existence of the dead man. An intriguing read. :-)
-HA

Unknown said...

ethnicity matters more than identity when you're alive--used to define us; A\as if we're our bodies, and not our souls... that part stood out to me... smiles. So cool that you chose the way of the comic book world...

Grace said...

Well this is a very unique response Glenn ~ Love the comic geek slant and specially the last stanza: a forever child, that death is a dominion beyond place ~

Thanks for playing along Glenn ~

Sherry Blue Sky said...

A spectacular write, with a lot of great philosophy about life and death. I especially like "an ethereal knight, discarnate yet compassionate, wise, evolved." We need more of his ilk, right here on earth. I imagine there are already a lot in heaven!!

Wolfsrosebud said...

loved the grouping of your words... very poetic

mrs mediocrity said...

It does beat the hell of the alternative... And it's amazing how often we forget that. A very cool take on this!

Mon.Esprit said...

Oh I like the deadman Glenn, absolutely brilliant characterization

eradication of ethnicity, but retention of identity.

Anonymous said...

Groovy piece- I now want to go explore Deadman more as he is not a Marvel hero I was familiar with.

Katie Mia Frederick said...

Well.. once again.. we seem to be singing the same song.. more or less.. and when i sing in tune with others like this.. synchronously fiction...

becomes...

TRUTH..

Smiles.. and nice to come across...

kindred spirits.. once..

again..;)

Truedessa said...

Glenn,

There is so much here to interpret and to enjoy a real marvel. I imagine a Deadman does possess the "truth" as he has ventured to the other side and knows how to walk two realms as he is capable of free flight. There is just so much here I could not possibly tell you all that I see in this remote viewing. Thanks for sharing..

janet said...

Wow, Glenn! I'm wasn't familiar with Deadman before this but you made him seem very alive (pardon the pun...or not.) Love the last line and the sense that Deadman can do so much good when actually dead.

janet

Sumana Roy said...

Isn't it sad that eradication of ethnicity is almost impossible as long as one is alive but this is one hard truth difficult to digest but death is that leveler...I really like the use of ant image here & their "...scurrying about hoisting their crumbs
of insight,"... a fascinating piece...

Anonymous said...

Different perspective and I love the voice you have used throughout. The man seems pretty awesome!

Kathy Reed said...

I like the pragmatic portal and pleasant way station..a spiritual spa..your take is full of imagery of all the superheroes of our time..capes and tights, nothing to be afraid of really, but rather like walking from one room to another...cool, Glenn.

Anonymous said...

This poem makes me think - if you could possess someone - why would you ever let them go ?

vb holmes said...

A lot of provocative thoughts and postulations here, Glenn (and on the light side, I like the"dirt nap" designation). Thanks for the introduction to Deadman--a character worthy of a search.

Bodhirose said...

Fascinating and entertaining, Glenn...thanks for that! I have no doubt that Deadman possesses the truth and I smiled at the thought that he is pleased that Stan Lee is a billionaire...ha!

Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

What a tour de force! Wonderful and enthralling on the first read though; even better when listening to your voice as well. This Deadman is a real winner!

Anonymous said...

grins. stan lee the elder...

and yes, it does beat hell out of the alternative :) ~