Allen Cohen Tributes and Memories

photo allen cohen

 

 

"..every moment is a peacemarch."
Allen Cohen

 

(photo) Feb.16, 2003,
San Francisco Peace March,
Allen Cohen w/ Nicole Savage and Alan Moore


Allen Cohen photos shared by his friend Jeff Sheppard


peace image







Memorial event flyer



POETRY REMEMBERING ALLEN COHEN
Elegy for Allen Cohen by J C. Flyer
For Allen Cohen (1940-2004 ) by Jack Foley
Last Words To Allen Cohen by Hammond Gurhrie
For Allen by Lauren Kael
For Allen Cohen, A poet who died by Julia Vinograd
Love is Always Within Sight by Maria Mango
A Haiku in 2 Parts by Jade
Finding Refuge in the Spirit of Allen by Yana Womack
The Leopard by Carl Wiener
'What I'm Not Sad About Today', poem for Allen by Susan Birkeland
We Walked For Allen Cohen - 1940-2004 by Martin Linhart
A Gift For Allen Cohen by Ladonna Fortune
I Saw Allen by Dorothy Jesse Beagle
Without A Hat by Debra Grace Khattab
Poem for Allen Cohen by John G.Hall
Ode To Allen Cohen by Don Brennan
Allen Alive by Gerald Nicosia
Remembering Allen by Bob Booker
Shared History by Larry Ebersole
Light Bill by Clive Matson
Allen Cohen: A Triptych by Mark Rosenmoss
Grieving Roses by Jeremy Siegel
The Oracle Of Allen by Deidre Evans
Farenheit Allen Cohen by Chris Trian
Poem For Allen Cohen by Mark Schwartz
Whisper by Ann Cohen
Fasting on Christmas Day w/ Allen Cohen by Danilee DeVere

Read More Memories For  Allen Cohen

 

Elegy for Allen Cohen
By: J C. Flyer


With a bellowing voice
howling like the winds
of change
A poet stands
amongst a pile of hats
in no discernable order
maybe not to you
But
always the conscience
of the buffalo
or of you and I
Teaching truth
to students of the future
Speaking words
too truthful
for ears to hear
Remembering Hiroshima
and tales about
denizen bikers, drug fueled wanderers, and
down on their luck burlesque
queens

ORACLE


Or was it Brooklyn?
where the seeds were sown
to blossom in North Beach
and into the Haight Ashbury
Like a strong warm wind
sharing the bounty
of ideas and visions
Now a shell of a body
clutching effortlessly at those moments
of truth
of freedom
of sharing the consciousness
Pointing towards the path that's
right over there
I'll catch you later man

© Gypsyman 3 Publishing

 

Last Words
To Allen Cohen

Dear Mate,

I want to say so many things

so, so many things full of heart

and of the times before

to thank you for being my friend -

for this alone I have been blessed

to thank you for having moved the world

of man and woman kind unto and far beyond

themselves as illuminated sentient beings

all in the moment then and now

as one energetic body of loving

transformation and regeneration

 and to compliment you one to the other

for having carried on as you have

as a warrior - bhodisattva and scribe

 of proud lineage - a legacy in fact

of a "one hip hippy" as you once

commented to me in virtual space

I am there with you in this moment

timeless of today or tomorrow

asever in this moment

knowing full and well

that we shall meet again

 transformation bringing us

so close to the source

of all things worth living for

 Namasté - Bole Nath Kí Jai

Tat Sat Hari Tat Sat!

 With love remembrance joy

and the image of your smile

in my heart

 AsEver yours,

© Hammond Guthrie March, 2004

My last words to an old and cherished friend well met at Morey's Deli (circa 1965)

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Allen Cohen Tribute by Kush

Kush and Phil Deal remembering Allen Cohen

Close friends of Allen, Beat archivist Kush and a
Phil Deal, saxaphone player,did an acknowledgement of Allen Cohen.
It was all about light. He was the publisher of the Oracle, a history of the Haight Ashbury,
which created a sense of community. He was involved in the
production of the first Human Be In. ~ Kush | Jun 7, 2004     
    
Phil Deal
PHIL DEAL
website
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Finding Refuge in the Spirit of Allen

We lay there

Our breathing finds its own rhythm

anchors us in the moment

We find it curious

why now so close to his dying

we should find such deep comfort

in each other's presence

I begin to softly hum a Buddhist chant

It is my way way of offering him blessings,

I want Allen to know he is held by my love,

not to be afraid, to

treasure this liminal time.

In a moment a warm breeze

wafts into the room.

It ripples over us.

Our touching arms merge into one.

Our breaths sail together

on the precious waves.

©Yana Womack

Yana was a care giver to Allen and they shared wonderful conversations on dreams

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FOR ALLEN COHEN, A POET WHO DIED

If your were alive today
I wouldn't be thinking about you.
I never did.


Then we ran into each other,
your black curls
bouncing with enthusiasm,
your arms flapping,
breathing hard enough
to chase another group project,
magazine, anthology
and we were so proud to be needed.

It was like a big red india-rubber ball
stamped with gold stars
and thrown for us to catch.

You made it seem so easy
and we could no more
think about you
than the centipede can think
about which foot starts walking.

You were our first step
so many times.
So what now?

You were refreshing to be around
like cool water is good to drink.
Good people are usually
embarressing by contrast,
they make us feel
we should pick up our insides
like dirty rooms of headless dolls
and lost socks.

"Good" is a word
we hear too at funerals
You were a good man
but we liked you anyway.

Your soul was used to getting up
like a man in a crowded bus
offering his seat
to an old woman with groceries.

But your soul
it's place to the world
and the Lord.

"Rest In Me, O Lord" was the title
of your great poem
in the peace anthology.

The Lord accepted your invitation,
You have to rest in peace,
and I'm going to see
God doesn't get any rest at all.

We needed you more.

© Julia Vinograd


Julia Vinogradwebsite

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Allen

Kaleidoscopic mind
Transcends past and present into future
The slight mist over the bright green trees
in Golden Gate Park
Holds your essence here forever

With Love
Lauren Kael

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A Haiku in 2 Parts

Part I
The Streets are Quiet
For a Man of Many Words
Has Now Ceased to Speak.

Part II
Though Sound is Fleeting,
His Words will be
Heard for Years -
Felt for Much Longer.

Jade, age 16

Jade learned about Allen Cohen through her interest in
the history of the sixties and was inspired by his poetry
and vision of peace and harmony

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Love is Always Within Sight

Look how you have brought us all together again, Allen!
With a rainbow bridge across the ages
A timeless technicolor dream
   visions of unity
   and harmony
   and peace on earth
I feel you with us now
Closer than ever
In the sea, in the sky,
In the shadows and light
Showing us
   that love
      is always
       within
         sight...

Maria Mango, age 23

Maria came to the hospital to sing for Allen
and became a member of his care-giver team...
Her gentle disposition, wonderful songs and d
elightful hippie spirit endearred her to Allen
and everyone else who ever had the pleasure.

http://www.mariamango.com

Troubadour finds bliss on Haight

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If you would like to honor Allen and share an experience, a poem, your feeling on what he meant to you  or an inspirational story relating to his life, please send them to nsavage@sfheart.com .
With your blessing I will post them here as a special memorial
 and tribute to Allen Cohen who walked the talk
and shared what he achieved in his lifetime.

Allen Cohen Memories
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