Joanne Kyger

 

Philip Whalen's Hat

I woke up about 2:30 this morning and thought about Philip's hat.            It is bright lemon yellow, with a little brim            all the way around, and a lime green hat band, printed            with tropical plants.                                                    It sits on top            of his shaved head. It upstages every thing & every body. He bought it at Walgreen's himself. I mean it fortunately wasn't a gift from an admirer. Otherwise he is dressed in soft blues. And in his hands a long wooden string of Buddhist Rosary beads, which he keeps moving. I ask him which mantra he is doing - but he tells me in Zen, you don't have to bother with any of that. You can just play with the beads.