.
I have been told
that the church will not saint a man
until he’s been dead at least fifty years
and that’s too bad
for who will be around then
to tell us how he always talked too much
and used to pick his nose

now
let me tell about a saint of mine
who not so long ago
was alive and well
and living in California

I had read every word he had written
and could recite his punch lines
like the rosary...
but he was only a writer of books then

he became a saint the night we met
and he was drunk
and fell on the floor vomiting
and...

set me free
+++
.

.........AFTERWORD — There is a saying that goes, "When the student is ready the guru will be there." And sure enough in my mid thirties I discovered Alan Watts, an Anglican minister who earned a reputation as the foremost interpreter of Eastern philosophies for the West.
.........It was during my rock & roll Frantic Record days, which meant that I had all the latest recording equipment; so when the local Unitarian Universalists booked Alan to speak at our local community college, the minister asked me to record the event. And I must say the man blew me away. I remember in the Q & A period after his awe inspiring talk someone asked him if he believed in reincarnation. Alan thought for a moment and then responded, "Well there is no way to really know but if there is such a thing I only hope and pray that I won't have to remember this life." I was hooked — the guru was there!
.........Fast forward a few years to my folk-singer days when I was asked to perform my songs at the Joan Baez Folk Festival held at Esalen in Big Sur. What fun getting to hang out with some of the big shots that were featured that year — Simon & Garfunkel, Judy Collins, the Chambers Brothers and, of course, Joanie. But I was especially delighted when Alan Watts suddenly joined the group of us sitting on the lawn chatting. Then later that evening at the festival's celebration party the event I have described above happened.
.........Ah, transformation! — the moment of personal changeover — of being young and naive, then, an instant later — adult. Reviewing the life that I've lived, I’d say this would have to be Ric Masten's major spiritual "Coming of Age" experience.

FOLLOW-UP to DEMENTIA 11/23/07 This particular piece brought in far and away the most response that any poem has recieved during these nine years of posting weekly WORDS AND ONE-LINERS. A dear friend, Paul Sawyer, took the time to send me a snail mail hand written message and a poem telling me that he would never speak to me again if I didn't read DEMENTIA and the "Afterword" to Billie Barbara. "Shit man," he said, "Don't you know a love poem when you write one?" So I read it to Billie and we both held on to each other and shed many tears. Thanks Paul!

ANOUNCEMENT!

..........A biography of my life, written by Steve Edington, has just been published. Steve has written two books about Jack Kerouac, so I am in good company and didn't even have to die before I was written about. I also got to correct any inaccuracies. Many of my poems appear in Steve's book and the FOREWORD is by the actress Ruby Dee, and old friend of mine. If interested in my life and ministry —