a poetry reading

I'm reading from my new book, The Transparent Dinner, at 3:00 at the Ear Inn this Saturday.

326 Spring Street (west of Greenwich Street)
New York City
FREE

Subway: C/E to Spring Street; 1/9 to Canal Street; N/R to Prince Street

November 4

Readers: Christine Hamm, Thomas March, Juliet Patterson

Here's a sample of one of my poems:

Animal Husbandry

The dog tells me that's he leaving me, that he no longer likes sticking his nose in my crotch. This last week he has been slipping his leash after I fall asleep and sucking cock in the backroom at Woody's. He tells me about the glory holes in the bathroom of the New York Public Library. I tell him he's lying, that dogs aren't allowed in the library. I'm having trouble breathing. I sit down on the edge of the bed. I shout, what, so women aren't good enough for you anymore! I remind him of our first date, how he tied me up and we cried all night. Never before had I been threatened with such tenderness, such sincerity. You can't fake that! I scream. I am sobbing. I am not a woman if my dog doesn't want me. I'm a question mark in a skirt.

The dog has his sad puppy-dog eyes on. I've seen him practice this look in the mirror. He asks me not to hate him. He rolls his eyes and whines.

I know that he's already picturing himself out on a walk, leaving me here alone in a room full of condoms and chew toys, some man's hand on his leash. I wonder if it's my scent that he finds so vile. He rests his chin on his crossed paws. It's not that you're fat, he tells me. There's a gland near the base of the skull that regulates it-- this desire, this thing, for bones.



For more about me or the book, go to www.christinehamm.org

Disco Time

the glitter in my hair is infinite
stocking feet on blue shag carpet
the Hustle has many complicated steps
I’m wearing a rainbow in three different places
Cindy demonstrates sloppy fellatio on a hotdog
I laugh so hard my cheeks hurt
we’ve found her parents pot and porn
my jeans are so tight it hurts to sit
Led Zeppelin is kinda cool
but the Bee Gees are gnarly
we’ve locked her little brother out of the den
she’s wearing thirteen plastic bracelets
the color matches my eye shadow
and the unicorn on my notebook waves his horn to the music

Led Zeppelin is kinda cool
the unicorn on my notebook waves his horn to the music
the color matches my eye shadow
we’ve found her parents pot and porn
we’ve locked her little brother out of the den
the Hustle has many complicated steps
stocking feet on blue shag carpet
Cindy demonstrates sloppy fellatio on a hotdog
she’s wearing thirteen plastic bracelets
I laugh so hard my cheeks hurt
my jeans are so tight it hurts to sit
but the Bee Gees are gnarly
I’m wearing a rainbow in three different places
and the glitter in my hair is infinite

Some Mothers

……. they move slowly on
…. the grass, shifting their feet
and pausing

… their heads are bent
busy on the ground
……. they are full already
but still they eat
… they are sleek and their
… bodies glimmer

…. . …. if you try to come
close they will raise
their heads all at once ……. and stare

……. their faces will move
quickly then and they
will talk to each other
in low, worried voices

their expressions are
……. difficult to read
their eyes and mouths
……. . . . . . dark and still and shifting

…. . . .…. and then you step again
……. and they lift
a vast sudden wave
complaining loudly
……. without ceasing
and throw themselves into the sky

Hey I'm a little famous.