Reading The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
Listening Disappear Fear Deep Soul Diver

It's true...youth keeps you young. Be around people of all ages, but especially those younger than you. Somehow, their spirit infects you with a sense of good will; sometimes against your will...ride the wave, you won't be sorry.

Reading Salamander by J. Robert Janes--Listening Uncle Dave's Crazy Music

It had to happen eventually. What you loved as you were growing up becomes a marketable commodity. Sort of creeps up on you, really. A few car commercials here and there, and suddenly--the leg warmer is back in fashion. For us, it was "Good god, turn off that 50s and 60s crap." Excuse me, I still listen to that Clash record. It is not OLD. I never stopped being a punk (in my heart, anyway) so I am entitled to get pissed off when I hear the Buzzcocks on a commercial. Hey--that's OUR MUSIC!! You can't make me want that just because you have some good demographic info! Why is it the more ironically detached we try to become, it just comes back at us in the form of an ad selling us Ore Ida fries? And I am sure Kurt Cobain wanted to be on all those Tshirts, that's why he offed himself. Then again, when I was in high school, kids wore Jim Morrison Tshirts. It amounts to the same thing. At what point should I turn off the TV, stop going to the movies, quit listening to music? I mean, is it possible? I don't want to become one of those old fogeys who say "our music was just so much better." I still seek out and do enjoy new artists, writers, and musicians. But you know the guy (usually it is a man) who ONLY listens to the "hits of the 70s" because that's when all the good music was made. These people make me sad and pissed. Why close yourself off to new cultural experiences? What is wrong with the new? Seems the problem is in holding onto the old too tightly. Just don't use it to sell me shit.

Lovesong to VU

Farewell farewell to the chic mystique

begin worshipping at the new shrine of pop culture

this electric moth one of the insects of someone else's thoughts

the anti-all

the cinematic kindergarten

we need more milk, Yvette

Listening: Les Sans Coulottes Reading: Frances Mayes' Discovery of Poetry

I always wondered where those shoes came from, you know, the ones you see in the gutter or shoulder of the road? They were the inspiration for this poem.

MATELESS

Route 3
Left turn lane
Blue and gray striped felt Birkenstock
Jimmy was getting high in the backseat and his foot went through the window


Henry St. & Rt. 3
Gutter
White-girl shoe
Ashley jumped for the bus and missed her heel caught the glass

Brown St. & Milton
Sidewalk
Hightop basketball shoe
Some big kid followed Jordan and teased him about his aunt he turned around and punched him and ran

Milton
Center line
Black clog
The cancer had spread and she didn’t want to be a burden so Arlene took it all to Goodwill

College and Washington
Intersection
Clear jelly sandal
Stacy looked both ways but never heard the truck behind her

Washington
Gutter
Brown work boot
Paul swerved to miss the something….cables and tools shifted in the truck bed





State & 3rd
Curb
Goddamn bridesmaid dress looks like a pile of puke! And these shoes suck, too!

3rd St
Left lane
Gray track shoe
Wedding coming up…gotta lose 20 lbs…maybe jogging….will help….

Reading: Heart of Being Listening: Buddha of Suburbia

This poem brought to you by the letter “Y”

Legs or tree
Ready to walk away and grow

Maddeningly
Confusing to six-year-olds

What sound does
An enigma make

Yawp
Lye
Runny

That damned next-to-last
Also-ran

Fetchez la vache!

I only knew a little French when I stepped into class. It was all from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Mme. King didn't appreciate it, by Kelly did. So was born a friendship that would always make me laugh, think, and love art of all kinds even more.

There are many inspirations and sustainers in a person's life that it is a bit daunting to name them or think of them in any but an abstract sense. Everyone I've met has become a sort of inspiration to me (but not always inspiring good thoughts) and has sustained something in me (sometimes bad things).

Here I'll try to expand my reach as a writer and artist.