if you're ever present when a monkey sneezes, say 'evolution' -jcagney
Without Love, Your Poetry Is Irrelevant
Its been years since I'd taken the train to Sacramento. I don't exactly remember the last trip I made in the name of my biological family that still lives there. I didn't belong there. My birth-mother was right in giving me up and never looking back. For this trip, I bought my first cane. My …
(Public) Apology or ‘…The Heart Has Got To Open In A Fundamental Way’
My heart felt like a closed fist urgently knocking against my sternum. That's not a metaphor or bad opening line; its a description. My chest felt knotted and angry. I was angry. There's a plethora of reasons why. But I'm writing this because of the moment I felt it stop and open. Earlier this week …
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Who’s Sari Now?
In one of my notebooks, there are two pages of handwritten notes in pencil that smeared. It wasn't until last night I squinted through the thick fog on the page and salvaged those notes. It was written in 2012 during my visit to India. I had two roommates, both women. We were there as artists …
Writing To-Get-Her?
She and I met months ago. We've had movies nights, dinner. We're not dating-- I emotionally began pulling back once I truly began listening to her. I need to be turned on from the inside. Maybe last night is a good illustration why she doesn't do it for me. She's a poet and performer and …
Lost Hours
I've been to Reno twice over the last 8 days. On that last trip I drove there with my friend, who bowled in a Tournament at the massive Stadium. His mom drove with us to which was doubly good since she cleaned up at the slots, pulling an astonishing $500 out of a penny machine …
Your City In Ashes, A Godzilla Primer
Godzilla is an atomic chicken come home to roost. Born out of fears of nuclear radiation’s generational impact, he has arisen from the depths of political subconscious to burn your playhouse of complacency down to ash. You think war-mongering is an answer? You think your guns will protect you? Your cities will fall to skeletal …
The Empty House
I helped run a poetry workshop at the SF Public Library in April. Myself and another poet hosted Saturday afternoon workshops for an entire month culminating in a public reading, which happened Sunday afternoon, May 4. I arrived an hour early. My friend who works at the library walked me through the staff area, then …
Who Dares Follow Master Storyteller?
I was back in the Mission late Saturday evening. This is my old neighborhood and I miss it; the hot dog vendors and homeless sleeping under a blanket of pigeons at Bart, the bodegas and smoke shops, the taquerias and discount clothes stores. I passed bars, nearly wanting to go in, but I promised myself …
Hope… the thing with Feathers
I've been holding a notebook full of poems but haven't been able to read any yet. The most important part of my writing process is running new material before an audience. Its not always enough to just read it aloud for myself (though that always helps) But part of the reason to create anything is …
The Dirty Rat 