Whenever I'm in my car, I'm typically listening to NPR. A few nights ago, All Things Considered aired an interview with Tom Waits. Mr. Waits was asked to say a bit about his influences, and particularly about the beat writers. Now, the beats have always been heroes to.... a great many. Pretty much anyone with great aspirations and a stong outsider/individual sense in life goes through a beat phase, looking to these incredible characters and the vigor with which they burned through life. They were heroes simply because they never let anything hold them back; they tried as much as they could, and they lived as hard as they could, and thought as big as they could, and the results and connections throughout the whole thing are stunning. And when asked to describe what they meant to him, Tom Waits hit it dead on, saying they were "like pirates."
Pirates. I never thought of that. I've never even thought beyond the sea-faring and the bootleggers when it comes to defining the word. But he's right. He doesn't even need to go any further. They were fucking pirates. Now I have a whole new sense for the word, and I see how every century, and even every generation, seems to have its own pirates.
Well, fuck. I want to be a pirate. How quickly will the 21st Century pirates come around? And where do I sign up? It probably takes more initiative. So maybe I have to start the pirates. I can see down the road a short ways, and I see what's coming. Yet, I certainly can't do it alone.
So, who wants to be a pirate with me? Where exactly do we start?
Pirates. I never thought of that. I've never even thought beyond the sea-faring and the bootleggers when it comes to defining the word. But he's right. He doesn't even need to go any further. They were fucking pirates. Now I have a whole new sense for the word, and I see how every century, and even every generation, seems to have its own pirates.
Well, fuck. I want to be a pirate. How quickly will the 21st Century pirates come around? And where do I sign up? It probably takes more initiative. So maybe I have to start the pirates. I can see down the road a short ways, and I see what's coming. Yet, I certainly can't do it alone.
So, who wants to be a pirate with me? Where exactly do we start?
I have no idea where to start though......I don't have a parrot, but do have a canary?