Carma Bums are Coming

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William Shakespeare had no trouble being understood by the working people of his time. Today, however, an arbitrary gap somehow has been built between Shakespeare and a lot of working people. For many, Shakespeare has become too elevated and difficult. While The Carma Bums are not Shakespeare, we are wordsmiths. Through poem, song, noise, structured chaos and empathy, we are attempting to bring our own brand of highbrow back to the cheapseats in the back. We are attempting to close that arbitrary gap between the "artist" and the "public". We don't expect all of our work to be understood in the same way a practical lesson in how to eat with a fork could be understood. We do however want the reader/listener to "get it", whatever the particular "it" is in any given poem. We are five unique different humans. We often argue amongst ourselves about what it is we are doing. But like any other nuclear family, we try to stop short of killing one another, in the hope, that as a collective, we are offering the internet swimmer a new brand of chlorine for your pool that will ultimately not burn your eyes as you have, we hope, a very good time, swimming in our magical sea of images and sound.
- Scott Wannberg "Carma Bums Manifesto - Highbrow/Lowbrow"

There is a River
S.A. Griffin

there is a cheerful ignorance
a chance meeting and
luck like gold that cannot be
mined or stolen

a common atom

a dance

and stars that trick the
water with their
certain
magic

do not wash your wars in it
take your holy rituals to the
precious fountains built by your agencies of fear

press your
wine from the fallout
and drink your
bitter victory

for yes

there is a river
a giving river that will
sing you safely

a river of
light

final
fast
and
free

where you can
disrobe
and leave your casual sadness
walking sideways at the
shore

meet me there
whoever you are
and we will agree to
swim it
together