I’ve never got into monsters, spooks, and the likes
Life is hard enough without inventing such things.
Like being shot at over Korea, or the screeching tires
of your oldest son’s last moments, the curses and screaming
rage of your father…these are monsters enough.
Reading
Last Tuesday, April 20, I performed in public for the first time in over a decade. Two good friends showed up to encourage me—one was late, but it’s the thought that counts. With their help I was able to rock the mic. Thanks guys!
I feel I did really well. It was a very anxious moment for this painfully shy guy but it made me feel alive. I hammed it up, played with the audience, joked with the sound-guy, and had a wonderful time. I performed three of my most recent poems: Me, I’m Just Dancing, You Can’t Be Neutral, and The Gratzi; as well as two old ones that I don’t have up Dynamite and Firewood, and Moonlight. I’m going to start participating in more such things. I think that poetry is meant to be heard, that’s especially true of mine.
This Friday I read for a friend who really got into them. He commented that he was much more impressed having heard them then he was when he first read them.
Those two events helped me to decide to start posting audio of me reading the poems. The site will shortly include a podcast feed. My poems are meant to be heard. It’ll take me a bit to get everything together, but I’m hoping by the end of the week to have some audio up in here!
You Can’t Be Neutral
It ain’t easy
These long trips between nowhere and doubt
Thinking of you
As the bus surges and shakes
Throwing me off balance
As soon as I find a seat and
Settle down the bus turns
Smashing me against the window
I cannot see beyond that glass
When the bus finally stops
Lurching me forward into the seats ahead
I am still no closer to an answer