Excerpts from the Notebooks of Philip Whalen


Curated by Brian Unger

18 : IX : 67

                        Autumn now comes
                        Triumph chrysanthemum harvest
                        Ripe leaves and grape gold sheaves
                        Moon burnished persimmon
                        Pomegranate and pumpkin
                        Goldenrod sapphire and wine

                        The spirit perishes when the season turns
                        Exhausted by summer, the autumn               
                                  Finds me sick as March and winter just past

                        What do I see a hundred fish in the Kamo River
                        who survived 70 miles of poison
                                           2 million fishermen
                                                     flash silver jump
                                                            bug feed flip

                        what do I see the fish seller catches a fly
                            looks at it, squeezes it to death,
                                         no place to wipe his fingers

                        what do I see the big fat baby in his pram
                             seriously examining lotus root

                        what do I see the sky is overcast for Autumn
                              full moon invisible mochi rabbit mortar