For those of you who want a fun Sunday:

I'm doing a reading! As part of Cheryl B.'s reading series, the Atomic Cafe, at Lucky 13 in Park Slope. It's easy to get to, and quite worth the trip -- i.e.; free!

I'll be reading from my new chapbook, The Animal Husband, which explores some of the least practical aspects of bestiality. (Wow, Microsoft Word doesn't even recognize that as a word.) The poems have been called, variously, funny, dark, and most of all, confusing.

I'm reading with fiction writers --Tony O'Neill (author, Digging the Vein)
and Michelle Wildgen (Tin House, You're Not You)

The reading is on June 4th and starts at 7PM. Sharp! Like a knife!

Here's the address:

At the Lucky 13 Saloon
273 13th (5th Avenue)
Park Slope, Brooklyn
(F train to 7th Ave,
walk down 7th Ave to 13th street,
then walk down towards 5th Ave)
718-499-7553
NO COVER

And the link to the reading series is here: http://www.cherylb.com/atomic

New POEM. IT'S EX'PER'MENTAL. okay

Carnival in Your Mouth

the toilets on Crescent Street
like blonde rain
give up the pillow

vomit and bleach bargain with God

the refrigerator light ties around your neck
a sparrow, a fish beeps like a chick
glistening with oil

James Dean slices his steak
distracted by peanut sauce and
a starling beating against his face
telling us his loves us with a tennis ball
on the sofa

dripping, the world enters him
a carburetor and giraffe

begin to suck my husband
in the kitchen cheese

ignore the tub
ignore the phone’s ring

open the dryer to check
your window, wrapped in a pink blanket,
hold it over rocks, it disappears

spaghetti every where
children are crawling
architecture kills the squash of rubber bands,
the tomatoes of a swan

Christmas licks us clean
our toes dumb in a silk purse

Sorry I've been MIA lately; illness has got me down. But I'm a little better.

Here's a poem I came up with after melding three sources together for my visual poetry class (see pic below). Text from the library after I did a search on feminism and naming -- I got a crazy article about female apostles, plus my skewed and surreal impressions of the library, and text and a page from a handbook on how to be a good secretary, circa 1941.

So this is what I came up with. I think it has some good spots, but it probably needs to be cut alot. Let me know what you think!

Highlight Your Individuality

Finally, the criterion of cohesiveness supports
PERSONALITY TALK NO. 3

1. Apostles must exhibit charisma

Stemming from 1969, we were dazzled.
"Visit a garment", the revolving doors whisper
by the thousands and then only when
accompanied by three masked men,
provided we each wear one hundred
thicknesses of material.

Our tiny heels on the marble floors full of diamonds,
a pattern placed on top of all we wish --
our fingerprints and sputum inside their books,
dresses cut out in one operation.

These books arrive ten days after we fill out
the forms, strapped to the back of red dresses.
Identical wooden cupboards descend and ascend
because they have neglected someone.

Heaven is painted on the ceiling here
but those books are placed on the table before us.
It is possible for a person to have a wooden spatula
to turn the pages and beat us. The descriptive phrases
hit us until our fingertips are raw,
until names are beaten out of our dreams.

Everyone wanting to help is allowed to
retire and have tea with the other ladies.
"Evasive", "gullible", "timid", are noticeable
characteristics of "Sugar."

What can you do to make individuality?
Observe the characteristics of persons whom you indicate.
Women fulfilled all criteria of apostleship.
List all these and add others.
Seem desirable, if you have anyone.

Click on image to see the big one.

Another visual poem. The typed text is taken from a passage from the Golden Bough about the power of names. I then blacked it out to give it another meaning.



Click on the image to go to the bigger version.