Poetry – Page 9 – Alice-Catherine

Poetry at the Post: Weekly Journal

Weekly Journal by Alice-Catherine Jennings

photo courtesy of John M. Jennings Istanbul, Turkey 2014 — photo courtesy of John M. Jennings
Istanbul, Turkey 2014

Stephen Sondheim “tells young writers even if they scribble nothing more than “cat” 60 times in a row, that’s better than writing nothing.” (The Wall Street Journal, “Staring Into Darkness, in Search of a Rhyme,” October 30, 2010)

Saturday: cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat ,cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat,cat, cat, cat.

Sunday: dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog, dog.

Monday: fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist, fist.

Tuesday: cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat ,cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat, cat ,cat.

Wednesday : splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat,

Thursday: bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad, bad.

Friday : rest. rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest. rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest. rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest. rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest, rest.

Updated: May 23, 2015

Saturday: cat, cat, cat…

#mylifeisabestiary

Poetry at the Post: Still Stuck on “B”—or Reading Poetry in Alphabetical Order

More Pets*
by Caroline Bergvall

a not—turtle—plus—rat catchat
a plus—dog—plus—rat—pas—chat dog
a more—hair—pas—chat—moins chien horse
a more—chat—plus—horse—moins—chien—more—rabbit rat

“Chelonia” from Ernst Haeckel’s Kunstformen der Natur, 1904

You can listen to Caroline Bergvall read “More Pets” here.

*From Fig by Caroline Bergvall, Salt Publishing—what can I say about this book? Buy it! Awesome!

Honest, acute, visceral, ludic, funny.
—Fiona Templeton

Poetry at the Post: B is for Benedetti, or Reading Poetry in Alphabetical Order

Board of Directors*
by Mario Benedetti (1920-2009), as translated by Harry Morales

There is a dry cough
like from the cigarettes
then a murmured remark,
a chair being dragged
two yawns
the reading of the minutes
that foul smell

DIRECTORIO
Hay una tos reseca
como de cigarrillo
después
un comentario murmurado

un arrastre de silla
dos bostezos
la lectura del acta anterior
esa peste.

A meeting of a board of directors of the Leipzig–Dresden Railway Company in 1852

If you have ever worked in an office, Benedetti’s office poems are for you. With titles such as “Salary,” “The New Guy”—”the new guy/arrives happily” and “the Christmas Bonus”—don’t we wish?—I wonder: How did he do it? Write about such mundane things and make the poems sing? Of course, there is more than the ordinary—there always is if the poem is good. With Benedetti, you get a view of Montevideo in the early 1950’s and a whole lot of social/political commentary. His stuff is good. Really good.

It’s time for the “Typist.” (Remember those saints who took care of all those things you have to do for yourself now?)

Dactilógrafo

Montevideo quince de noviembre
de mil novecientos cincuenta y cinco
Montevideo era verde en mi infancia
absolutamente vrede y con travías

In a career of more than 60 years, Mr. Benedetti wrote more than 80 books, addressing subjects that range from love and middle-class frustration in Montevideo, the Uruguayan capital, to the pain of exile. (NY Times, May 19, 2009)

*From Only in the Meantime & Office Poems by Mario Benedetti, as translated by Harry Morales. Host Publications, 2006.

Poetry at the Post: A, My Name is Alice or Reading Poetry in Alphabetical Order

Avocado
by James Arthur

In a bowl, blind as stones.
In their soft-skinned hides, holding seeds.

Carving an avocado
makes a C-section, and the meat of the fruit
slicks the stone.

I’ve taken to reading poems and poets in alpha order—hence, avocado and Arthur.

The opening of this poem makes me want to dissect some avocados and turn them into guacamole, which is what I thought I’d do as soon as I finished reading “Avocado.” But by the end, I was imagining maple tress and dogs and decided to move on to “Aspirations.”

"Maple between pines" by Remilo - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons — “Maple between pines” by Remilo – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

“Avocado” from Charms Against Lightening by James Arthur, Copper Canyon Press, 2012

Poetry at the Post: Mercury in Retrograde or Loss of Innocence #2—The Trans Pecos Pipeline

Updated June 11, 2015

Mercury in Retrograde
by SHERYL LUNA

The day ended badly with a broken ankle,
a jinxed printer, and a dead car. The dry yellow grass
against the sunset saved me…

Gravity anomalies on Mercury—mass concentrations (red) suggest subsurface structure and evolution, photo courtesy of NASA

Here’s my latest roundup of the news on the Trans-Pecos Pipeline. This is not an exhaustive list—but a start.

I have found little from the Mexico side of the border and what I have is mainly a summary of what’s going on in Brewster/Presidio County. If you find other news reports—especially national or international, please feel free to add them to this list. (Updated, June 11, 2015)

Whitewashing the Trans-Pecos Pipeline, Alpine Avalanche

Cano Backtracks on “Done Deal” Comment, Pipeline Opposition Begins Fundraising, Marfa Public Radio

Proposed Trans-Pecos Pipeline to Benefit Air Quality, KMIDTV

JEFF DAVIS COMMISSIONERS COURT DEFLATES GAS PIPELINE RESOLUTION, The Big Bend Gazette

An unlikely alliance: Ranchers and green activists fight Texas pipeline, Al Jazeera America

Texanos protestan contra gasoducto Waha-Presidio, Radiza Juarez

Texanos inician campaña contra gasoducto por daño ambiental

The Pipeline That Texans Are Freaking Out Over (Nope, Not Keystone), Mother Jones

Commissioners ask critical questions about pipeline, Big Bend Now

Presidio County Commissioners Receive Update on Trans-Pecos Pipeline

Border Pipelines Face Opposition On Both Sides Of Rio Grande, Fronteras

Marfa and West Texans Fight to Keep Out Pipelines, Glasstire

Pipeline protesters gather in Alpine, Alpine Avalanche

The Uphill Battle for Eminent Domain Opponents in Texas, Marfa Public Radio

TCEQ Shuts Down Pumpco Inc. Work Site for Trans-Pecos Pipeline in Alpine

TCEQ: Operations At Alpine Pipeline Site “Not Shutdown Nor Granted Approval’, Marfa ‘Public Radio

Board Member of Brewster County Groundwater District Arrested on Trespassing Charge, Marfa Public Radio

Work at Alpine Staging Ground for Trans-Pecos Pipeline Can Continue Amid TCEQ Investigation, Marfa Public Radio

BEARD CHARGED WITH FELONY ASSAULT OF DEPUTY AT PUMPCO, INC. SITE, the Big Bend Gazette

Pipeline Shipments Could Head South On Old West Texas Railroad, Marfa Public Radio

Charges mount for Beard in pipe yard incident, Big Bend Now

Beard charged with assault, trespass, Alpine Avalanche

CDRI photo by Alice-Catherine Jennings — CDRI
photo by Alice-Catherine Jennings

Opponent of Trans-Pecos Pipeline to Mexico Vows to Fight, NGI’s Daily Price Index

Officials Seek Federal Regulation on the Entire Trans-Pecos Pipeline, KWES News 9

Alpine Resolution Opposing The Trans-Pecos Pipeline Dies Before A Vote, Marfa Public Radio

Congressman sheds little light on pipeline, Big Bend Now

Showdown in Trans Pecos: Texas Ranchers Stand Up to Billionaires’ Export Pipeline, DESMOG

Presidio, mostly, embraces pipeline project, Big Bend Now

Pipeline firm denied water well permit, Big Bend Now

ALERT!: Nuclear waste facility proposed near Kent, Big Ben Now

Continue reading “Poetry at the Post: Mercury in Retrograde or Loss of Innocence #2—The Trans Pecos Pipeline” →

Poetry at the Post: Happy Mother’s Day May 10, 2015!!

Daughter
BY JAMES LENFESTEY
A daughter is not a passing cloud, but permanent,
holding earth and sky together with her shadow.

The Daughter
BY CARMEN GIMÉNEZ SMITH
We said she was a negative image of me because of her lightness.
She’s light and also passage, the glory in my cortex.
Daughter, where did you get all that goddess?

Mother’s Day—I like to flip it around— and celebrate being a mom because I have “the best daughter ever.” I’ve loved the total package, or the whole enchilada of experiences—well, maybe not the rabies scare in Gibraltar!

Do you know the history of Mother’s Day? Check it out here.

Poetry at the Tent: Five Things I Learned From Camping at Goose Island State Park, Texas

The Geese
BY JANE MEAD

…Their call, both strange
and familiar, calls
to the strange and familiar..

Goose Island offers camping, fishing and birding along the St. Charles and Aransas bays, north of Corpus Christi, Texas. A three-hour drive from Austin makes this an easy weekend destination–although to avoid the crowds, mid week is better.

I’ve just returned from a two-night camping trip to Goose Island State Park and here are five things I learned.

1. Goose Island is an oasis on the Gulf coast. You can camp by the bay or under the oak trees. The facilities are excellent—well-maintained campsites and bathrooms with showers. The tent camping, however, is mixed-in with the RV’s unless you go primitive. Questions? Arriving late? Not a problem. All will be taken care of by a friendly group of volunteers and staff at this state park.

2. The mosquitos are a killer. It’s true. Do not underestimate their power-and capacity to bite. Ouch! Bring plenty of DEET.

3. The birding is super!–even I know that and I am not a birder. Lots of cardinals. Bring cameras worth thousands of dollars to see them. 🙂

4. It is HUMID! Think Houston in the summer, then square it. If you are sleeping in a tent, bring a fan…or an oxygen tank for breathing.

5. If the heat and mosquitos get you down, you can head into Fulton Beach or Rockport (about 9 miles away) for an oyster po-boy and a Corona, iced-down cold. You can also find Mexican food but be forewarned that the Mexican food on the coast is Jalisco style, not San Antonio/Austin-style Tex-Mex. I had the shrimp tacos at Los Comales. They were tasty but diferente.

Rockport, Texas Photo courtesy of John M. Jennings — Rockport, Texas
Photo courtesy of John M. Jennings

ALICE’S CAMP-O-METER FOR CAMPING AT GOOSE ISLAND SP:

I’d like to give this place a higher rating for effort and beauty but the weather and bugs weigh it down.

Poetry at the Post: Ganesha Finds A Home in Marfa, TX

Ganesh by R. N. CURREY

Ganesha, Ganopathi, Gannanata
The Elephant Head, the Ivory Tusked, the Fat,
the Long-Nosed and the Rider on the Rat;

As the god of new beginnings, Ganesha is my favorite of the five Hindu deities. From time to time, we all need to begin again or at least refresh our inner selves so when a call when out to bring back a Hindu god from India for The Well in Marfa, TX, I knew which one it would be.

I found this Ganehsa in Jaipur where he was lovingly packaged in bubble wrap for his long trip via Dubai toTexas. Gracias a Dios! Ganesha arrived safely and is now serenely installed in his new place of honor.

If you happen to be out in Marfa and are looking for some wisdom and inspiration, come to The Well. It’s a great space. Check it out.

Ganesha getting ready to throw his lotus. Basohli miniature, circa 1730. National Museum, New Delhi.

How Ganesha got the head of an elephant is a mystery although the most familiar legend is the one where Shiva cuts off Ganesha’s head to gain access to Parvati. Then, to soothe poor distraught Parvati, who had created Ganesha out of her own body, Shiva had to find a replacement head for Ganesha. Volia! An elephant. You can read more here.

“Colchester town center”. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons –

But who was R. N. Currey, our featured poet for today? Born in South Africa, Currey was a schoolmaster at the Royal Grammar School, Colchester, for 40 years, yet he was still regarded as more a South African poet than an English one.

Poetry at the Post: Void and Compensation by Michael Morse

I had the good fortune last night to be at the Marfa Book Co for a reading by poet Michael Morse, which was prescient as today’s NaPoWriMo prompt is to write a “review poem.”

Instead, of writing a review of the reading (which was terrific) or Morse’s new book Void and Compensation (Don’t you just want to read the book for its title?), I decided to assemble a modified cento poem—a poem composed entirely of the words of other authors arranged in a new form or way.

For me, Morse’s lovingly haunting lines stand as their own review.

Void and Compensation*
—After Michael Morse

So you are related to the iris, in and of its family.
April, the meadowlark back on his post,
I led wayward bees to open windows.

We had put our hearts down on paper.
Since when did keeping things to ourselves
help us to better remember them?

*All lines are from Void and Compensation by Michael Morse, Canarium Books, 2015.

Poetry at the Post: The Tay Bridge Disaster by William McGonagall

The Tay Bridge Disaster
BY KNIGHT OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT OF BURMAH WILLIAM MCGONAGALL
1825–1902

Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay!
Alas! I am very sorry to say
That ninety lives have been taken away
On the last Sabbath day of 1879,
Which will be remember’d for a very long time.

Fallen girders, Tay Bridge Scotland — Fallen girders, Tay Bridge
Scotland

NaPoWriMo Day 28: Write a poem about bridges. I was just about to say “I don’t do bridges” but you know what? Yesterday I reviewed the proof of a poem of mine that is forthcoming in the Poet’s Republic in Aberdeen, Scotland—and it actually has a bridge in it. Here’s a preview. I’ll post the link once it is published

.
“Only to the bridge!” cried the adults.

“No further than the bridge.”

William McGonagall has the unfortunate reputation of being called the worst poet in the history of the English language. Well, I find that a bit of a stretch. You can read more here about the Knight of the White Elephant Burmah.

It must have been an awful sight,
To witness in the dusky moonlight,
While the Storm Fiend did laugh, and angry did bray,
Along the Railway Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay,
Oh! ill-fated Bridge of the Silv’ry Tay,

Category: Poetry