The year was 1997 and I was working as a secretary and translator for a Sports Association in Buenos Aires. At the same time I was studying Philosophy at the University of Buenos Aires. I didn´t own a computer with Internet access back then, so I would get to work an hour early just to log into the World Wide Web. Everyone takes it for granted today, but back then it was like a huge door opening in our imaginations and our minds.
I had recently read Tom Wolfe´s "The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test" and had become infatuated with Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters. So one morning I logged into the Internet and through Altavista web searcher I was able to find the official Pranksters website http://www.intrepidtrips.com I was ecstatic!
Soon I decided to write a poem for Kesey, which I did and send and... Alas! Much to my surprise, on the next day I received an answer from the man himself, saying he had liked it so much he posted it on his outhouse (with hammer and nails) so he could read it every morning.
Over the years I continued corresponding through e-mails with him, Babbs and his son Zane, until he passed... I haven´t written often in the past few years, but I will always remember Kesey´s gesture.
So, grab a pitcher of ice cool lemon tea and see if you like it yourselves! This poem was the first step in what would become to Lady Astor´s Tea Party (which has NOTHING to do with other tea parties across the World) and I wrote it when I was only 19 years old!
Love,
Lady Astor
.............................................................
Bossanova beat
Is out on the street
Les gents s´en vont dans
le ciel
Et tout le monde est três
jolie.
A girl kitten is out in
the alley
And the wide-eyed
children stare at her
She is the light,
She is so bright!
The sun comes down
And the alley becomes
grey
A high Lama emerges from
the mist
And touches the kitten
girl.
Everything turns into
pink and golden rays
The Lama is old,
But his skin is not
cold;
Blue animals transform
the path
Of dusk into stone.
The icy face of the
night
Gives place to a
cheerful reunion,
The children set up a
tea party,
And everyone is invited!
Blue tails of the
animals laugh
At the smiley eyes of
the Lama,
The kitten girl pours
twenty teacups
Of boiling frenzy...
Her hair is golden and
lights up the alley.
Young girlish boys paint
kaftans
With the Lama’s face in
them
A very young queen
Offers jewels to the
children.
They get hungry at some
point
And so the young boys
cater
A feast of muffins and
pudding
For all those who want
them.
A graceful silver pony
Eats pudding from an
emerald plate
While the wide eyed
children
Comb his hair and caress
his body,
The Queen sings hymns in
ancient Persian...
And then everybody
dances
And the alley is so
lovely
That flowers start to
rain
And perfume the dancers.
At the rosy hour
The Lama decides to
part,
Not without kissing the
kitten girl
And leaving a purple
mandala on her cheek.
The dawn has arrived
And the feast vanishes
into a shawl of stars.
The children arrange the
place and leave,
The Queen rides the pony
towards the north,
And the girlish boys set
a velvet cart.
Meanwhile, a giant wild
orchid blooms from the ground,
The kitten girl sits
inside
And emerges as any girl
That walks the Earth
She gets up and puts on
a little dress,
And as she strolls down
the angry streets,
Little pink stars pour
Every time she waves her
hair.
.............................................................
writing and poetry
