Monday, September 29, 2008

DJ God

readwritepoem's prompt this week is to use Sufi poetry as inspiration to write about God in an unexpected fashion.

I have to note a couple of things here:
1) this should not be taken as representative of Sufi practice, though Sufi practices do tend to include rhythm (chanting, dancing, drumming etc.)
2) yes, I know that clubs now don't use vinyl records except maybe for a few nostalgia joints; I myself don't own any vinyl records nor a record player, but I grew up with them
3) any description of God, poetic or otherwise, should be regarded as incomplete: God is infinite, and human language and understanding are finite.

In the juke-joint smoke and the neon flash
black vinyl dervish discs spin and roar and holler
diamond needles riding in the delicately ribbed
grooves where the speedbumps vibrate to a song
and God is the DJ who makes them ring
God is the DJ who makes them ring.

Crowds stream sweat as they stomp and shout
blinking in the strobe and the color-gel spots
breathing in the beat and the smoke and the steam
clouds above and the concrete underfoot
and God is the DJ who makes them shake
God is the DJ who makes them shake
God is the needle and the record and the song
God is the heat and the smoke and the sweat
God is the dance and the dancers and the floor
God is the DJ with the golden fist.


Collection available! Knocking from Inside

8 comments:

Deb said...

Wow, Tiel. What a brilliant response to the prompt. Surprising and creative imagery. Engaging.

(The GYPO is "up" BTW, I accidentally set to noon rather than midnight.)

Anonymous said...

This is freaking great. It reminds me a little of Terrance Hayes' poem, "emcee" from the book Hip Logic. Although it's really not that similar. Terrance just has such a strong sense of the beat, which your poem also (obviously) has.

Have you read Terrance's work? You'd dig it.

Anonymous said...

Strong, lively poem, love the repetition and the rhythm.

Anonymous said...

djs around here (LA) use vinyl in fact collect it there's a resurgence!

the poem works just fine w/o the notes--its strong enough and clear enough to stand alone (not that you asked)

Anonymous said...

Dead good, what a great way to get God into every line and vinyl is really groovy too!

Anonymous said...

I totally emailed Terrance Hayes yesterday. I am such a poet-stalker.

ren powell said...

I saw a documentary the other day about a youthful, "rock" church in London - so I doubt they would have a problem with God as DJ. Cool.

Ana said...

great repetitions -
they capture both meanings of 'dance' (dervish dance, disco dance)

There are plenty of churches here in Pittsburgh that became bars and appartment buildings.So some good places for DJ GOD...