I woke at 3:37 a.m. with an envelope slipped between my lips. I was in my bed in my apartment alone as I often was. I pulled the envelope from my mouth and got up to look around. No lights were on. The doors were both still locked. All was quiet on Highland Ave. I sat at my desk in the living room, switched on the lamp, and opened the envelope. “Dear Cicada,” it read, “Your receipt.”
Saturday, October 06, 2012
The Most Mysterious Arrival of a Most Unusual Letter
after Mark Strand
I woke at 3:37 a.m. with an envelope slipped between my lips. I was in my bed in my apartment alone as I often was. I pulled the envelope from my mouth and got up to look around. No lights were on. The doors were both still locked. All was quiet on Highland Ave. I sat at my desk in the living room, switched on the lamp, and opened the envelope. “Dear Cicada,” it read, “Your receipt.”
I woke at 3:37 a.m. with an envelope slipped between my lips. I was in my bed in my apartment alone as I often was. I pulled the envelope from my mouth and got up to look around. No lights were on. The doors were both still locked. All was quiet on Highland Ave. I sat at my desk in the living room, switched on the lamp, and opened the envelope. “Dear Cicada,” it read, “Your receipt.”
Wednesday, October 03, 2012
The Even More Mysterious Arrival of an Even More Unusual Letter
after Mark Strand
It was a long drive home, up 6, down 25, through the summer Friday traffic. When I pulled onto Elm Drive I could finally breathe easy. I pushed the black button on the Craftsman opener clipped to my sun visor and the garage door lurched and lifted, but the overhead light didn’t go on as it usually did. Where was my wife’s car? Where was the recyclable bin? I picked up an unaddressed white envelope from the garage floor and pulled the lone sheet of paper out. The words were in crayon, in a child’s hand, but we didn’t have children or friends with children. “Dear Kimosabe” was all it said.
It was a long drive home, up 6, down 25, through the summer Friday traffic. When I pulled onto Elm Drive I could finally breathe easy. I pushed the black button on the Craftsman opener clipped to my sun visor and the garage door lurched and lifted, but the overhead light didn’t go on as it usually did. Where was my wife’s car? Where was the recyclable bin? I picked up an unaddressed white envelope from the garage floor and pulled the lone sheet of paper out. The words were in crayon, in a child’s hand, but we didn’t have children or friends with children. “Dear Kimosabe” was all it said.
Tuesday, October 02, 2012
Chris Toll - I’m Nostalgic for the Future
A melancholy refrigerator
knits a movie theatre.
Fame is blind
and fortune is lame.
The irrefutable irreducible pond
appeals to winter
for a new pair of shopping malls.
The stars kneel down,
the sky leaps mournful,
and the rivers stand up.
A liquor cabinet
meanders toward a wolf pack.
—Chris Toll
from I’ll Be the Invisible Girl Till the Day I Die!
knits a movie theatre.
Fame is blind
and fortune is lame.
The irrefutable irreducible pond
appeals to winter
for a new pair of shopping malls.
The stars kneel down,
the sky leaps mournful,
and the rivers stand up.
A liquor cabinet
meanders toward a wolf pack.
—Chris Toll
from I’ll Be the Invisible Girl Till the Day I Die!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Friday, September 21, 2012
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Malinda Markham - To Understand Flight
Wet hands work quickly, cartilage shines into light.
No need to repeat what you’ve seen
Of me, but yes I would anchor this house
To the ground if I could. One day,
The grass said to the rain, Do not leave.
Outside this house of memory and bricks, I plucked
A wing to see the mechanics of flight. How could
Anyone have moved with skin
Exposed like that and waiting? Don’t think that the pull
Didn’t hurt or the sound. I feared the sky
Ready to answer in rain. To loosen feathers,
First close the eyes to spare them.
That day, gray light spilled into crevices,
Covered my hands in down. I was warm.
Malinda Markham
No need to repeat what you’ve seen
Of me, but yes I would anchor this house
To the ground if I could. One day,
The grass said to the rain, Do not leave.
Outside this house of memory and bricks, I plucked
A wing to see the mechanics of flight. How could
Anyone have moved with skin
Exposed like that and waiting? Don’t think that the pull
Didn’t hurt or the sound. I feared the sky
Ready to answer in rain. To loosen feathers,
First close the eyes to spare them.
That day, gray light spilled into crevices,
Covered my hands in down. I was warm.
Malinda Markham
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Sunday, September 09, 2012
Guillaume Apollinaire - Hunting Horns
Our story is noble and tragic
As the mask of a tyrant
No high-risk drama or magic
No unconsidered detail
To render our love pathetic
And Thomas de Quincey drinking
His opium sweet and chaste
Went to his poor Anne dreaming
Let’s go let’s go as everything goes
Often I am returning
Memories are hunting horns
Whose noises die in the wind
___________________________
And in the original:
Cors de chasse
Notre histoire est noble et tragique
Comme le masque d’un tyran
Nul drame hasardeux ou magique
Aucun détail indifférent
Ne rend notre amour pathétique
Et Thomas de Quincey buvant
L’opium poison doux et chaste
A sa pauvre Anne allait rêvant
Passons passons puisque tout passe
Je me retournerai souvent
Les souvenirs sont cors de chasse
Dont meurt le bruit parmi le vent
As the mask of a tyrant
No high-risk drama or magic
No unconsidered detail
To render our love pathetic
And Thomas de Quincey drinking
His opium sweet and chaste
Went to his poor Anne dreaming
Let’s go let’s go as everything goes
Often I am returning
Memories are hunting horns
Whose noises die in the wind
___________________________
And in the original:
Cors de chasse
Notre histoire est noble et tragique
Comme le masque d’un tyran
Nul drame hasardeux ou magique
Aucun détail indifférent
Ne rend notre amour pathétique
Et Thomas de Quincey buvant
L’opium poison doux et chaste
A sa pauvre Anne allait rêvant
Passons passons puisque tout passe
Je me retournerai souvent
Les souvenirs sont cors de chasse
Dont meurt le bruit parmi le vent
Tuesday, September 04, 2012
Trochees To God
Variation on an old saw I first read in an interview with Jack Gilbert in the journal New Letters circa 1993 in which he was quoting Allen Ginsberg from many years earlier.
Poetry is lies,
painful truths and lies.
Happy truths, too. Mainly
when you close your eyes.
Poetry is lies,
painful truths and lies.
Happy truths, too. Mainly
when you close your eyes.
Sunday, September 02, 2012
Rainer Maria Rilke “Autumn Day” / Ted Berrigan “Autumn’s Day”
• Eight translations of Rilke’s “Autumn Day” including a couple of the more popular ones (Bly and Snow, or maybe the Snow is only popular in my mind because it was fresh at the time I started reading poetry) and the one-time standard (Norton).
• Stephen Mitchell’s translation, the most popular and for the past thirty to forty years the standard.
• Three more translations.
• Other relatively common ones: Flemming’s and MacIntyre’s.
• And ones readily turned up by Google: Felstiner, Foreman, Crego, Kinzie, Wilkins, and the worst, from 1916, Münsterberg
A Google Search for “Ted Berrigan” and “Autumn’s Day” turns up only nine results, yet it’s better than most of the above. The Norton and Mitchell are close. And I have a soft spot for the Snow.
Autumn’s Day
after Rilke
Lord, it is time. Summer was very great.
Now cast your shadow upon sundials.
Let winds remind meadows it is late.
Mellow now the last fruits on the vine.
Allow them only two more southern days.
Hasten them to fulness, and press
The last heavy sweetness through the wine.
Who has no home can not build now.
Who dwells alone must now remain alone;
Will waken, read, write long letters, and
Will wander restlessly when leaves are blowing.
—Ted Berrigan
• Stephen Mitchell’s translation, the most popular and for the past thirty to forty years the standard.
• Three more translations.
• Other relatively common ones: Flemming’s and MacIntyre’s.
• And ones readily turned up by Google: Felstiner, Foreman, Crego, Kinzie, Wilkins, and the worst, from 1916, Münsterberg
A Google Search for “Ted Berrigan” and “Autumn’s Day” turns up only nine results, yet it’s better than most of the above. The Norton and Mitchell are close. And I have a soft spot for the Snow.
Autumn’s Day
after Rilke
Lord, it is time. Summer was very great.
Now cast your shadow upon sundials.
Let winds remind meadows it is late.
Mellow now the last fruits on the vine.
Allow them only two more southern days.
Hasten them to fulness, and press
The last heavy sweetness through the wine.
Who has no home can not build now.
Who dwells alone must now remain alone;
Will waken, read, write long letters, and
Will wander restlessly when leaves are blowing.
—Ted Berrigan
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Hoax
Pussy Riot
it turns out
was Kent Johnson
all along—
he has Russian
friends you know—
it’s just three of
his twenty-
seven selves now
behind bars.
__________________________________
Rough draft???
it turns out
was Kent Johnson
all along—
he has Russian
friends you know—
it’s just three of
his twenty-
seven selves now
behind bars.
__________________________________
Rough draft???
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
William Safire - In Event of Moon Disaster
To: H. R. Haldeman
From: Bill Safire
July 18, 1969.
_________________________________________________
IN EVENT OF MOON DISASTER:
Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.
These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.
These two men are laying down their lives in mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding.
They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by the nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.
In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man.
In ancient days, men looked at the stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.
Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.
For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.
_________________________________________________
PRIOR TO THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT:
The President should telephone each of the widows-to-be.
AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT, AT THE POINT WHEN NASA ENDS COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE MEN:
A clergyman should adopt the same procedure as a burial at sea, commending their souls to "the deepest of the deep," concluding with the Lord's Prayer.
From: Bill Safire
July 18, 1969.
_________________________________________________
IN EVENT OF MOON DISASTER:
Fate has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace.
These brave men, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.
These two men are laying down their lives in mankind's most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding.
They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by the nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother Earth that dared send two of her sons into the unknown.
In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man.
In ancient days, men looked at the stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.
Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man's search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.
For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.
_________________________________________________
PRIOR TO THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT:
The President should telephone each of the widows-to-be.
AFTER THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT, AT THE POINT WHEN NASA ENDS COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE MEN:
A clergyman should adopt the same procedure as a burial at sea, commending their souls to "the deepest of the deep," concluding with the Lord's Prayer.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Thursday, August 16, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Friday, August 10, 2012
Two in the Truck
Thanks to Elizabeth Kate Switaj who was the guest editor over at Truck last month and included two works of mine: “It was going on five in the morning” (after André Breton) and Monster Gardens.
And to The New Verse News for posting a short one.
And to The New Verse News for posting a short one.
Monday, August 06, 2012
Sunday, August 05, 2012
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Best Ramones Song of 2011
In the belated music awards, best Ramones song of 2011 goes to:
The Black Lips for Raw Meat
The Black Lips for Raw Meat
Saturday, July 21, 2012
The Blue Heron, Or Why I’m No Good at Haiku
after Bill Killen
By the frothy green
and fetid pond
in the morning sun
the blue heron
standing so still
is probably pooping.
By the frothy green
and fetid pond
in the morning sun
the blue heron
standing so still
is probably pooping.
Friday, July 06, 2012
Friday, June 22, 2012
Inbox
Welcome to Goodreads
This week is going to be crazy
check
Birthday & Graduation Party
FW: new email account
Thank you for your submission to Drunken Boat
Your submission has been received
The Plume Newsletter
Notice: Mudlark
Your statement is available online
Publishing Genius News
Important Information Regarding Your Account
Be a Friend (or Enemy) of Wallace Stevens
Christine invited you to Reunion 2012!! on Facebook
You have $121.81 Cashback Bonus—cash it in!
Flower and Fade: R. H. Blyth and D. H. Lawrence
Dictionary.com and marriage
Did you forget? You have Free Product Credits waiting
Garnet Poems: An Anthology of Connecticut Poetry Since 1776 (flyer attached)
Support Chris Donovan's Minimum Wage Proposal
test
Your statement is available online
Please Confirm Your Registration
Your recent download with your Apple ID
Welcome to iCloud
test
ivory headline font
Redeem your $102.90 Cashback Bonus!
petrarch
FW: Grammar Girl’s 101 Words—BG (SP)
pop
gil
test
ad
This week is going to be crazy
check
Birthday & Graduation Party
FW: new email account
Thank you for your submission to Drunken Boat
Your submission has been received
The Plume Newsletter
Notice: Mudlark
Your statement is available online
Publishing Genius News
Important Information Regarding Your Account
Be a Friend (or Enemy) of Wallace Stevens
Christine invited you to Reunion 2012!! on Facebook
You have $121.81 Cashback Bonus—cash it in!
Flower and Fade: R. H. Blyth and D. H. Lawrence
Dictionary.com and marriage
Did you forget? You have Free Product Credits waiting
Garnet Poems: An Anthology of Connecticut Poetry Since 1776 (flyer attached)
Support Chris Donovan's Minimum Wage Proposal
test
Your statement is available online
Please Confirm Your Registration
Your recent download with your Apple ID
Welcome to iCloud
test
ivory headline font
Redeem your $102.90 Cashback Bonus!
petrarch
FW: Grammar Girl’s 101 Words—BG (SP)
pop
gil
test
ad
Wednesday, June 06, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
UCity Review #4
Three poems just posted in UCity Review. Others recently in print here and here. More links to online works here.
Monday, May 07, 2012
It's a Boy!
Based on popular usage, it is 181 times more common for Fuckface to be a boy's name.
The popularity of Fuckface is: 2.959
(where 0 = extremely rare, 6 = super popular)
I am not aware of any deceased famous people named Fuckface.
| Names with similar statistics to Fuckface: |
When naming your baby Fuckface, it's important to consider the gender of the name itself. When people look at the name Fuckface, they might ask the question, "is Fuckface a man or a woman?", or "what is the gender of the name Fuckface?" Some names are more gender neutral than others, and some names are more strongly associated with either males or females. Some spelling variations of the name Fuckface might be more popular than others. The Baby Name Guesser can answer all these questions about the name Fuckface. To find out more about Fuckface, Baby Name Guesser uses up-to-date data from across the Internet on how the name Fuckface is actually used.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Botswana
or something jotted down [meaning typed up] after reading America Po Biz
Bots wanna
cats wanna
guys in shaving cream wanna
dogs wanna
parrots wanna
poets kinda think they wanna
crackheads wanna
peaceniks wanna
goddam anglo-saxons wanna
sharks wanna
pandas wanna
spooky druids used to wanna
birds wanna
blues wanna
cars especially convertibles wanna
spirits wanna
top hats wanna
latent psychic abilities wanna
“be still” (mumble, mumble)
pencils wanna
padres wanna
freaking mice and squirrels wanna
bells wanna
belladonnas wanna
primadonnas in their jewelry wanna
cells wanna
sailors wanna
debutantes and showboats wanna
urchins wanna
curtains wanna
dicks with higher purposes
really really wanna
Bots wanna
cats wanna
guys in shaving cream wanna
dogs wanna
parrots wanna
poets kinda think they wanna
crackheads wanna
peaceniks wanna
goddam anglo-saxons wanna
sharks wanna
pandas wanna
spooky druids used to wanna
birds wanna
blues wanna
cars especially convertibles wanna
spirits wanna
top hats wanna
latent psychic abilities wanna
“be still” (mumble, mumble)
pencils wanna
padres wanna
freaking mice and squirrels wanna
bells wanna
belladonnas wanna
primadonnas in their jewelry wanna
cells wanna
sailors wanna
debutantes and showboats wanna
urchins wanna
curtains wanna
dicks with higher purposes
really really wanna
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Spreading Santorum
Santorum defined here. I've extended the usage to mean any stray bits of fecal matter so I can use the word more, as in “Before I sit down on a public toilet I like to wipe the seat to remove any santorum I may or may not have noticed.”
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