gravitas

Kerouac and the Beats all knew
a psychedelic tale or two
and colored words in awesome hues--
the soulful blues, the soulful blues.

A cultural experiment,
of sex and drugs and sentiment
to rile against establishment,
their grave intent, their grave intent.

While Kerouac went On the Road,
young Ginsberg Howled a fiery ode
against existing moral code,
the truth was told, the truth was told.

Old Burroughs, on the other hand,
his shocking tale was sorely banned.
The story of a doped up man
with wayward plans... with wayward plans...

This avant-garde society,
self-styled in creativity,
they reveled in obscenity
and misery, and misery.

So now their story's come to pass.
A generation lost in jazz.
Their heads were filled with gravitas.
At peace at last. At peace at last.

©2006 b.cisek

acknowledgment: to Shane: a kindred spirit whose gravitas leaves us all in awe...
thanks for the word! (wink)

grav·i·tas (grv-täs), n. 1. Substance; weightiness: a frivolous biography that lacks the gravitas of its subject. 2. A serious or dignified demeanor: “Our national father figure needs gravitas, [but] he's pitched himself as the kid brother” (John Leo).
definition courtesy of dictionary.com