Why shouldn't he

Here's a new mistranslation. I'm taking poems and doing what I call "inverse translations" where I write the opposite word, phrase, or sentiment of a poem.  This one is an inverse translation of Lawrence Ferlinghetti's "What could she say to the fantastic foolybear" from A Coney Island of the Mind

Why shouldn’t he drive into agony as one pulls up to the drive-thru

and why shouldn’t he take a punch like a little sister

and why shouldn’t he bewilder

                                    the pup by depriving it of its cucci cucci coo

and why shouldn’t he stifle diamond spew

to counter the place that spoke in dust

                                                under the blood checkered picnic blanket

                        in that freezing summer shade

                                    where leaves returned from the seed’s grave

                                                and reattached to the Fall trees

where birds’ throats applauded

                        and home owners chucked their nests

            to make way

                                                for the eggs gathering round

 

Gesture #4

Gesture, an online literary journal published by the Gorilla Press, has released its 4th edition. My poem "inside every chicken there is a wishbone" is included. Edited by my good friend and colleague Matt Sherling, this edition includes great writers: Yume Kim, Anvhu Buchanan, Steve Roggenbuck, and more. Check it out at http://thegorillapress.com/sites/default/files/gesture_4_.swf

One more Halloween poem

I hope you all get a trick or treat this Halloween, but if you don't get either, here's a poem for your pillowcase.

how to get out.

if you are lucky, your closest living relative will have provided

a safety device: such as a bell, a whistle, or, for the modern day

dead, a cell phone. though reception may be difficult to attain

at six feet under. expect the darkness in which your shadow

abandons you and possesses itself. the odor of excretion:

sweat and urine. the putrid stench of decomposition. of flesh-flies’

adoration. don’t worry, it’s not shit or skunk or road kill: just you.

don’t panic…the increase of psychological distress. will shorten

the breath. you’ve no clue. how much is left. how many last gasps.

torment don’t squirm…you will only hurt yourself

don’t fear. your death.  your body has already

suffered            the process:  instead pretend it’s a possibility

for another life.  when you’re finished shrieking. take. a few.

minutes to become acquainted with your casket. first check:

for a signaling device.  should you find one, thank Count

Karnice-Karnicki. should you not, curse your closest living relative.

grope on: there should be a book or a cross, love letters or prayers

your teddy. you may take a moment to hug teddy___okay stop.

put him aside, he’s no good as a shovel.  waste no time for the ground

to settle. over you. for the rain to make dirt clods pebbles. for petals

to brown and sink. angle the remains so that your legs may be

useful. push the lid. and dig. with the cross or book edge or desperate

empty hands. and head up. just head up. without. hesitation. scrape

till you bleed. you think. asphyxiation. the alternative: dirt up nose.

rocks down ears. why fear suffocation? in panic one scrapes for solution

yet. it’s elementary. dig up. dig up. dig up. until there are six feet under.

Halloween poems

In the spirit of Halloween I'm posting two poems that I wrote in the first workshop I ever took many many years ago. Back in those early days I wrote a lot of murder mystery poetry at my colleagues' requests and to our professor's (Sandy Mcpherson's) concern.

Black Diamonds

under an asphalt night

             with shadows of snow fists

                           permitted a short-lived pallor

          before high beams loosen their corporeal grip

a driver:

Come on…                  oh!

come

on!

Speed up

Don’t!

slow for the curves

Don’t force red out                               the rear lights

       enough of it seeps back there

Fine.

I’m Fine.

Everyone’s Fine.

But wait!                      A carpool lane?

And we are two!

I almost forgot you

  a              forceful             forgot

a                  forget              -me            -not

 you

 were there

I’ve been down

black diamonds

off a cliff

not on rocks

the snow’s been too thick

the snow                    fall            thicker before              night’s done

the snow                              a sheet            several                                    feet   

the snow                                                                                                           stifle all

silent stample                                        nestle                     with permanence

after                 there                 be                    tracing              tracks

            tonight              ’ll                     no                    skiers’

to                     whether            ’d                     down                diamonds or

            tell                    they                  led                    the                    off

                                                Nothing

                                                to worry

                                                about   You’re already

                                                                  set I’ve put

                                                                your gear on

                                                          you, skis and all

                                                              Only we must

                                                                 get there we

                                                              must get there

Red lights

Not brakes                   Blue lights too

Flashing                        Though I’m not speeding                       —Pull Over—

Slower             slower              drive slower

Hello officer                  play cool

You were driving in the carpool lane

But I know, I know I

can because we are two

But where is the second passenger?

You can’t see him?

He                    can’t                 see                   him

Clear as night certain as day come right this way

I’ll prove it if you promise not to write me up

If you promise to not

                                    not to stop

                                                            me tonight

                                                            we must be

                                                            on my way

The Authority:

Pushing, pushing, he’s pushing.

How bold.  He just must not see

My lights, yet still he’s rushing

Even though he can’t pass me.

But wait, he’s moved to the fast lane.

No signal, he can’t tell I’m a cop.

Swerving, can’t stay inside the lines,

Further to the left and he’ll drop

Not over rocks,

Not through slush,

But upon snow over snow over snow.

The metal will rip apart like strips of torn paper,

His body lost in tow.

If he flew as fast as black diamonds

I could pull him on over right now.

I first want a reason for the ticket

But wait, he’s in the fast lane, that’s how.

But we are two, he’s shaking at the joints.

He’s confused, but he’s not drunk.

He just wants to be on his way so he points.

But why is the passenger in the trunk?

3 bears in the hood

Every car has a story.

Antidote to Lion Venom Reading

ANTIDOTE TO LION VENOM BUT MORE LIKE POEMS OR SOMETHING.
RA Villanueva
Dan Lau
April Naoko Heck
Cathy Che
Susan Calvilllo
Hossannah Asuncion
Wednesday, July 25th at 7pm
58 West 10th Street

Belated April 30x30

This post is coming two months too late, I realize, but I thought I should address it at some point: once again I failed to accomplish my poetry month 30x30 goal.  Maybe for 30 years I'll just create increasingly outrageous poetry month goals and never accomplish one of them, I think I could at least handle that!  I also would like to think that I did not completely pass April by without literary commitment.  I got a little stuck on some other reading, which is what made it somewhat difficult to keep up with reading a new book everyday.  If I try this again I'll have to keep in mind that anthologies and novels can get in the way of the quantitative goal.  Qualitatively, I've been quite pleased with my reading.  I picked up a few anthologies (so I read well over 30 poets...just not 30 books): Twentieth Century Latin American Poetry (Stephen Tapscott ed.) and Postmodern American Poetry (Paul Hoover ed.)  I also fell into a fantasy/magical realism novel kick as I tend to do when closing in on the summer: Hard Boiled Wonderland/The End of the World (Haruki Murakami), Pedro Paramo (Juan Rulfo), and A Game of Thrones (George R. R. Martin).

The anthologies have inspired me to pick up other poetry books that, based on the excerpts I've seen so far, I would recommend: Imaginary Elegies by Jack Spicer, Meditations in an Emergency by Frank O'Hara, Bean Spasms by Ted Berrigan/Ron Padgett/Joe Brainard, as well as poetry by Russel Edson, Paul Violi, and Bob Perelman.  I'm also going to indulge in the guilty pleasure of finishing the Game of Thrones series.

As a last note: Lollapaganza was a total success and an awesome festival, lots of poets and ridiculousness.  While there I picked up the latest copy of Abraham Lincoln (issue 7).  Buy your copy here!

West Wind Review and Emergent Forms present Lollapaganza, a new writing fest

Come to Lollapaganza on Friday June 1st and Saturday June 2nd!

Cipactli Reading

Cipactli is having their reading and reception!

Where: SFSU's Poetry Center HUM 512
When: May 10 at 4-6pm
Who: Cipactli is a Latina/Latino Studies Journal of Art & Literature

My two poems "Three Instances of Waking" and "Dinner Date" are published in this edition.  Copies of the edition will be available at the reading!

You can expect performances by me, Jose Cadena, and many many more!

Also, I may bake goodies for the event. So if you despise my poetry, at least come for the food!

Graduate Showcase 4/26/2012

Come see a presentation on my Dual Duel poems at the 2012 Graduate Research and Creative Works Showcase!

Location: San Francisco State University
Gym 100
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, California 94132

Time: 3 to 5:15pm

The Graduate Research and Creative Works Showcase is an annual exhibition of the diverse work of SF State’s innovated and talented graduate students. Each year SFSU hosts more than 150 graduate exhibitors whose presentations typically come in the form of a poster display that depict the purpose, methods, and results of their research or creative projects.

The showcase will be open to the public for viewing between the hours of 3 pm and 5:15 pm. Beverages and snacks will be available during the Showcase viewing.