Illu Gan Gan

(for poet Eugene B. Redmond)

– To be chanted in part

 

 

1.

 

Illu Gan Gan, black prince of poets / Oba

priest-king of wordography jazz-crafters, jazzsong

singer of river of bones & flesh & blood.

 

I fell into you my brother as a single drop of would

be gold - into this soft ocean of love & praise:

 

Illu Gan Gan, Illu Gan Gan,

The river sings your name,

The river sings your fame.

 

You / royal high priest & king of us all

who would call ourselves poets.

You / striking the inward cords of word

weaver spirits who would dare pray and listen.

You / teacher of symphonic invocation,

sonorous sound vibration of universal Afro Phone

that breaks & heals the Black Stone of mindful soul.

 

Finger feather flames burst forth Holy Tongues

in mirrored soul – mirrored soul of awesome fire

& awesome cold too, like embedded ice, frozen –

congealed, so-li-di-fied in genetic genius of mind.

force field of our art & struggle IAM,

but you / Afro Phone Man / Metronomic Meter Man

with EYE in ceiling / Wedge Wall / Huge Hand /

you have considered the loneliness of us all & yes!

brother mine in conception of time –

poetry is our applied science & our applied Theology!

 

2.

 

I fell into your eye of mind my brother

& heard the flailing, the wailing, the swelling

of your river’s destiny – a luminous vision of cadence,

of brilliance, of Magic Cane & sacred JuJu Names:

 

ORISHA! ORISHA! ORISHA!

 

& THE DRUM IS THE SOUND

BETWEEN SPACE OF YOUR WORD!

 

ORISHA! ORISHA! ORISHA!

 

& THE DRUM IS THE WORD OF YOUR SPACE

IN SOUND!

 

yours, pantheon of our ancient fathers

& ancestors of our ancient fathers’ song.

 

I heard the river call your name Illu Gan Gan, as you

danced, walked & leaped into the heart of the world,

the soul of the core of the world – you / the breaker,

the maker, the Nigerian shaker, the ebony rain dancer

of Yoruba Land – you / Oladumare’s son of life & light,

You / the keeper, the healer, the protector of all his sons

& daughters of sons –

 

You / breathing! heaving! sweating! chanting!

& the earth stood still in ominous silence at your

awesome Holy anointing:

 

Illu Gan Gan, Illu Gan Gan,

The river says that you are the song,

The river says that you are the song.

 

You were dancing oh master in the fullness

of the moonlit sky, naked & vulnerable before us all

& the very stars bowed to you as the river sang your

ancient name:

Illu Gan Gan, Illu Gan Gan,

You wear the rightful Kinte,

You wear the rightful Crown,

You are the River Oba Song,

You are the River Oba Song,

 

You, & you alone.

 

 

SIAM