the two nude figures sit in
time and space.
one upon the other.
rocking together.
rocking in their cave.

two magic figures
rocking together against time.
rocking back through time.
back and forth.

mother rocking her baby.
rocking against sickness and tears.
rocking back into love and peace.

in the cave,
unseen except by the spirits,
the holymen rock out of this reality
of personal isolation of greys.
rock until they rock
into the pulse of pure light.
back and forth until at-one-ness came,
until atonement came…
not just for them…
but those outside the cave.
magic rocking.
passion rocking.
almost sexual,
not quite…
very sexual…
beyond sexual.

two bodies rocking together,
rubbing isolation away.

grandpa sits in his rocking chair,
slowly holding onto creaking passion of living.
lovers dance,
rocking back and forth to the music.
sometimes fast.
sometimes slow.
passion rises warm and comforting.
pain and grief disappear.
a kid holding onto a blanket,
rocks back and forth,
holding onto the wrapping
that holds us all together.
colorful ribbons of our cocoon.
the 2 lovers pumping
hard on the swing, working together
to get the highest
thrilling flying and swooshing drop
on their bellies
and, yes,
in their loins.
almost sexual,
but not quite….
very sexy…
beyond sex.
mere sex would get
in the way of
the child-like melting
of earth and sky.
back and forth,
up and down,
wrapping us together
in brightness
and softness
and the magical commonness.

a girl laughs
on a big old rocking horse.
a g.i. holding his guts in,
blood oozing out,
rocks on the battlefield…
rocks to keep life in
and pain out.

light pulses,
reflected off tin and plastic.

daddy rocking baby to sleep on his lap.
cozy togetherness in ribbons,
rocking by the fire
far away from reality.

the arab woman,
on her knees beside
the unrecognizable remains of her husband
rocking to handle grief and pain.
a crazy rocks
on the street corner,
talking to beings from another reality.
wrap us up cozy.
wrap us warmly.
maypole dancers with ribbons.
admit that we all are wrapped up together
in see-through ties.

the gypsy woman,
eyes closed,
rocks back and forth,
giving master spirits
her voice and her body
to speak through.
rocking in her tent.

the boys rocking
uncontrollable from laughter
at their childish pranks.

rocking surrealistic in the darkness,
in their colorful bonds,
the two nude figures,
using magical passion to melt together,
rock like the blind,
like the insane,
like the holy men,
like lovers…
and the magical melting spreads out of the cave
and into the world.

© Frank Moore 1986-2002

Featured image photo by Kevin Rice.

“Wrapping/Rocking”
Poem by Frank Moore
Chanted by Michael LaBash
Background music:
excerpt from “Body Music”
performed by Frank Moore’s Chero Company: Michael LaBash, Alexi Malenky, Rourke Smith & Leigh
Thumbnail photo by Kevin Rice
A segment from the web video series LET ME BE FRANK, Episode 4.
Website for the series: http://frankadelic.com/


Here are some Wrapping/Rocking performances:

Wrapping/Rocking @ The Intersection, San Francisco, California
March 14, 1986

Wrapping/Rocking, Sixth Sense Gallery, NYC
May 19, 1987

Wrapping/Rocking, Painted Bride, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
May 23, 1987

Wrapping/Rocking & Statues, EZTV, Los Angeles, California
September 9, 1988

“Wrapping/Rocking”, Berkeley, California
January 14, 1989

Wrapping/Rocking, University of California, Berkeley, May 1, 2003
http://www.eroplay.com/Cave/mayday2003/mayday.html

Poster by LaBash