Writings from the Ferris Wheel

poems by

Donald Cohen

ISBN: 978-1-59948-763-2, 116 pages, $14.95 (+ shipping)

Release Date: June 25, 2019

A Pure Heart Press title

Donald Cohen was born in New York in 1951 where he spent his childhood. He graduated from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dr. Cohen went on to earn his M.S.W at Columbia University and his Ph.D in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology, located in Berkeley, CA. He returned to the East Coast to complete his fellowship in the Department of Psychiatry at Yale University Medical Center, as well as to begin his private practice.

The author has also created, produced and hosted the weekly television and radio show, “Kids Are Talking”. He is a licensed marital and family therapist. He has had various articles published over the years as well as conducting lectures and workshops.

Dr. Cohen and his wife, Dee, live in Connecticut.

Origin

My identity is my destiny
Destiny, my identity
The spy of the I
Fate is my mate
End where I began
Answer to the call
Moving along
Lyrics to a song
Knew all along
No right or wrong
Only a sign
Of love that is mine
Doves dancing in sand
Children laughing
There is no tomorrow
Just today and yesterday
For time is timeless
Our identity is our destiny
Fate is our soulmate
We end where we begin
Back to the origin

Glee of Ali

That man in his corner
Spoke loudly
Bundini the Houdini
“Float like a butterfly
Sting like a bee”
He is Muhammed Ali
Beatific and mythic
Magic and charismatic
Authentic and enthusiastic
Mystic and terrific
Euphoric and metaphoric
Irresistible and unpredictable
Complexion and connection
Met all expectations.

Once Cassius, the Greatest
Louisville Lip
Known for his grip
Mouth that would shout out
Prophet with a tight mitt
The jab that could grab
Liberated soulmate
Knew no hate
Fear no fear
Fighter for the outsider
Dude with an attitude
His dream in a pantomime scream
Watching him on the TV screen
Ali bigger than life
Larger than strife
Man who out cries
Lord of no lies
Long to be in the camp
With the people’s three-time heavyweight champ
Biggest fight for human rights
Friend of the oppressed
Regretted his contempt of Malcolm X
Conscientious objector
Not the rejecter
Messenger against racial slur
Well intended exaggerator
Protector to his core
Political icon
No qualms about Vietcong
Robbed of his prime
Stripped of his crown
Never let down

Saw infinity inside divinity
Dundee the teacher
For the preacher
To become the dreamer
Olympic Gold made him bold
The screamer of humor
Sonny Liston didn’t listen
Inspired shards of hope
That phantom stroke
Gained attention
Giving him worldwide dimension
Brazen to be more
“Rope a dope”
Made a joke
No purr in his slur
His way to cope
Against enemy folk
True to be who he was
The fool who played it cool
“Rumble in the Jungle”
“Thrilla in Manilla”
Smokin’ Joe
His angry foe

Ali shuffle
His feet would sing
Fighting in a prize ring
Had that second chance
Breakdance in white Everlasts
Glide and slide
Under God’s light
Changed his name never the same
Possibility in impossibility
Pride on his side
Poetic predictor
Victor of his knockout round
Stared opponents down for the crown
Rhyme on a dime
“Done in one”
All about who won

With a smile
Confidence in his silence
Voice of defiance
Preached no violence
Glee of Muhammed Ali
The irony with no folly
Howard did not see him as a coward
Dapper rapper
Know it poet
With no bull
Chanted “people created equal”
In his disposition
Man of conviction
Craved attention
With no restriction or eviction
In a nation of contradiction
A vision beyond division
Encouraged by his courage
No indifference made a difference
Disciple of sacrifice and principle
Promote to motivate
Fast as lightning
In all his might
Without fright
Scrutinized
Psychoanalyzed
Stigmatized
Wouldn’t apologize
Insight out of sight
Twinkling gaze amaze
Graceful easy grace
Committed to embrace his race

To hold all to behold
Coveted, beloved,
Ali, you were all you could be
Hunches, took too many punches
Shuffled feet resist defeat
Worsen Parkinson emerge more vulnerable person
“Float like a butterfly,
Sting like a bee”
The boast of the G.O.A.T.
The way of Cassius Clay
In his controversy
Youthful innocence with arrogance
In his elegance
Candid intelligence
Exuded eloquence
Fearless dissonance
His playful vanity
Brought sanity to humanity

Amen to the global man
Because he can
Go to his grave
Not a slave
Brave in his peace
Reborn with no scorn
Tenured member
Of university of diversity
He could bend
Ascend
Transcend
Our boxer turned legend

Who in the end
Tough loved with a soft glove
In the glee of Ali
Set him free

Me and My Man Bag

Immersed . . . in the name of my purse
They call it “Murse”
Tease about my man bag
For they can’t see
The two of me
Playing in my co-ed band

Handmade
Natural with my satchel
Know I’m a one man show
Travelling near and far
Heading towards the radar
Spreading my wings
Carrying over my shoulder
My holster
To bolster the androgyny
Beget a long silhouette
The mighty alchemy
Of me and my man bag

From masculine reason
To a man for all seasons
With his pocket full of miracles
Being lyrical Davey Crockett
Holding my weight
Not lonely
With no date
I am the soulmate

Spoken and unbroken
Like a hidden eye
The Twins gaze upon me
A burning need
Planting the seed
For revision
No more incision
My Renaissance disposition
Healed and revealed
With no division

Fill my bag of truth
To drag out of disguise
Tell no lies
For they can see
Me and my man bag
Mirror my inner she

My identity
Just wants to be