‘Eulogy for a Walleye’ and ‘Suite to Sweet Corn’

I read two poems I wrote for the ‘Iowa’ themed ‘Over The Back Fence Radio Show’ on Sunday. Click ahead to 38:40 to hear them!

Over the Back Fence- July 5, 2009

Commonweal Theatre – Over the Back Fence

Lanesboro Overlook

Reading of Shel Silverstein Poetry on ‘Over the Back Fence’ Radio Show

A few weeks back I read some of my favorite Shel Silverstein poems on air at the 1970’s themed ‘Over the Back Fence’ Radio show at the Commonweal. Listening to them again, I hardly recognize my own voice! Click forward to 37.40 to hear me.

Over the Back Fence – June 7, 2009

Commonweal Theatre – Over the Back Fence

I’ll be reading some of my own poetry on air this Sunday. Tune in, show up, or download!

Stream in search of poem

Ramble it out, out upon the glowing square screen of intoxicating ever connection. This where i have my ideas curtailed, or captioned or christened. Damn this persistent pattern of thinking, i think, i think, i think it gets in the way, it creates incredible mandible tension and evaporates my sleep like dew dew drops in the midday. I fight fights that I don’t entirely own, but I’m working towards a kind of kind ambivalence about most of the things that I needn’t bother with. I cannot write a poem in this house. I cannot write a poem with a mouse.  You there! Poem! Your costume doesn’t fool me, but it does only lead me to witty associative and alliterative words. Get me under that sweeping veil, let me put your face to the name of something entirely obscure but strikingly true just the same.

I have about six different terrific ideas for my near future, and they tickle my insides like impending sneezes. Until the time comes, what can one do? Plenty, as I told my friend Dale today:

Look at your own eyes in the hallway mirror

save wine corks,

pun,

lick salt off your/his/her skin/margarita glass,

eat yogurt,

remember each other, sweetly,

frown when you feel like it.

Strawberry sunset

I wish I had a straw long enough to drink up that strawberry fluff.

Take a ride on the wild side

Yesterday evening, with the expanse of several leisure hours ahead of us, my friend Adam offered to take me for a ride on his motorcycle. Now I’m not a committed adrenaline junkie or anything, but I have been know to throw caution to the wind, and in this case, that phrase can be taken quite literally.  After donning his wicked Spiderman helmet and a quick primer on weight placement, we were off! And fast.

There are some great roads for motorcycling here in Bluff country. We darted down country road 250 to Chatfield which has some ’sweeper’ turns and ideal straightaways for speed. I squealed, and giggled, and squeezed Adam’s chest as he expertly maneuvered the bike. It is SO responsive to him, like its a trained tiger but also an extension of himself. We reached unmentionable speeds. Its reckless, yes, but its amazing and exhilarating and so worth it!

Do you see that smile on my face?! It was there the whole ride. Its impossible to not grin when the winds whips around you and you feel dueling forces propelling you forward.

Two perspectives, one locale.

Honor thine bricks.

We are slaves to paved spaces,

to hot tar and chalk white lines

rolled thick by Goliath machines.

That is why a bricklayed alley way should always be traversed.

Trod the auburn plinth cobbles

and give each masterfully mortared brick your gaited weight.

Yoga Stay-cation

“Tadasana”, “Adho Mukha Svanasana”, “Chaturanga Dandasana”, “Namaste”.

I’ve been hearing these multi-syllabled sanskrit words everyday. I am midway through my self-created yoga ’stay-cation’ in Minneapolis. Away from work, away from tiny town, away from communal living, for almost a whole week. It feels like the right activity at the right time.

The unexpected joy and highlight of my trip has been the quality time spent with Sammy, my friend’s awesome dog. There’s something to be said for the company of a good dog when you want to be alone but not entirely alone. Sammy helps me carry groceries back from the co-op, goes for jogs with me, and always sits when I ask him to. And I think he really likes having me around because his masters are away from home a lot lately. We’re pals.

Sammy with his backpack on, helping me carry groceries.

Friends!

This pose usually means “C’mon lets do something!”

Amanda and Adam have a great little house in NorthEast Minneapolis and they’ve generously set me up in the extra bedroom. The backyard is bright and hospitable with a nice deck, a fire pit, and plenty of plants a’growing. Almost every night I pick fresh lettuce from the garden patch and make a mountainous salad.  Its pleasing to think that my dinner is made of of something that came out of the ground only ten minutes earlier.

After yoga class this morning I found a free table at a great coffee shop called The Spyhouse on Hennepin in uptown. I’m somewhat pretending that I’m a freelance grant writer and I get to spend my days immersed in the aroma of roasting beans and amidst the tippy tappy tippy tap of caffeinated fingers on keyboards.

Twin Cities Jazz festival tonight! A bottle of wine, some cheese, and some cool summer music.

Dawn song

Not much to see but plenty to hear. These are the faithful four a.m. avians that sing outside my window.