New Graffiti, the original is back.

I'm writing for NG again. I'm announcing on my blog, that I'm writing on their blog. That's all for now.

Also today, "How Do You Love a Capitalist?" on Paragraph Line

How Do You Love a Capitalist? How do you try to make Valentine's Day not a shitty Valentines' Day. Here's your roses and chocolate! Enjoy.

Live at the Jujomukti reading with Russ Green. Hosted by David Lawton

Russ and I play off each other's poems. Rated R

Boston Literary Death Match, June 7, Sean Sullivan, DJ Hazard, Jen Hill, Meredith Goldstein, Chip Cheek and Anne Sanow

Tomorrow night, I'll be reading at this wonderful, fun event.

What LDR says:

Go on Boston! After a “Best Storytelling” nomination from the Boston Phoenix, we're back for another night of literary and comedic engagement, join Literary Death Match as we take a Cambridge sidestep to the world-famous Comedy Studio with a lineup that will make your head pop by the time you finish with just the description!

This rollicking lineup will include an all-star trio of judges: the as-seen-on-Comedy-Central and one-act playwriting wizard Sean Sullivan, notorious illustrator and commentator of fancy Jen Hill (author of Percy & Tum-Tum), and Speakeasy Storytelling Festival performer/Ding Ho founding member/author DJ Hazard (author of The Grumpy But Lovable New Yorker Guide To Enjoying Life Even Though You are Broke... And Grumpy).

They'll witness four stellar scribes battling for literary immortality: Boston Globe “Love Letters’” columnist Meredith Goldstein, Grub Street instructor and short-story master Chip Cheek, PEN New England Award for Fiction winner Anne Sanow (author of Triple Time), and flash fiction/poetic mastermind Timothy Gager (author of Treating a Sick Animal)!

Hosted by LDM creator Todd Zuniga. Produced by Kirsten Sims.

Where: The Comedy Studio, 1238 Massachusetts Avenue (above the Hong Kong Restaurant), Cambridge (map)
When: Doors at 7:30, Show at 8:00 (sharp); afterdrinks after.
Cost: $12 preorder and at the door

Bagels With the Bards Anthology #7 Released.

This fine book of poems from poets that meet every Saturday, edited by Zvi A. Sessling is the seventh volume of works by the Bagel Bards and it includes my poem, "We Were Once Friends".  For more information and to purchase click the link HERE

Great to share the pages with such great poets and people:

Linda Griggs
Gloria Mindock
T. Michael Sullivan
Michael Steffen
Abbott Ikeler
Dennis Daly
Cameron Mount
Paul Stephen Stone
Mike Amado
irene koronas
Elizabeth Hanson
Rene Schwiesow
Julia Carlson
Chris Warner
Jessica Harman
Timothy Gager
Lo Galluccio
Louisa Clerici
Alice Weiss
Bridget Galway
Tony Majahad
Barbara Bialick
Wayne-Daniel Berard
Doug Holder
Lawrece Kessenich
Llyn Clague
Deborah Leipziger
Philip Burnham
Barbara Thomas
Wendell Smith
Prema Bangera
Limin Mo
Ralph Pennel
Rosie Rosenzweig
Nancy Brady
Krikor Der Hohannesian
Jack Scully
Robert K. Johnson
Manson Solomon
Susan Major-Tingey

Nothing new, so something old, Pretty Flamingo.

New work coming soon, but there's been some down time since the last rash of publications.

Time for some of my favorites, some greatest hits, you might say. One of my favorites, pre-blog flash pieces was published in August 2009 by Monkeybicycle. All you have to do is listen to the music from this you tube video, without watching the silly video and read the story based on the song found HERE.

Suffolk Downs Open on Poiesis 5

This is Suffolk Downs




It's now closed to racing. A poem I wrote, Suffolk Downs, from observing people at that setting appears in Poiesis 5, a journal run by Propaganda Press , who published my book, These Poems are Not Pink Clouds.



Poiesis #5
by Various Authors
cover photo by Misti Rainwater-Lites
published by Propaganda Press
Available at http://alt-current.com/pp/pp_item.html#poiesis_issue_5 

Some appearing in this issue: Jack Kopp, Jeff Fleming, Kevin Hibshman, Jessica Harman, John Berbrich, Ray Sapienza, Harry Calhoun, Misti Velvet Rainwater-Lites, MP Powers, Ray Larsen, April Michelle Bratten, Donovan White, T. F. Rice, Terry Clarke, Robert Schuler, Michael Estabrook, Michael S. Begnal, CEE, sharon zeisel, normal, Hosho McCreesh, David Sermersheim, Paula Anne Yup, D. A. Pratt, Alvin Park, Leah Angstman, Tim Staley, the poet spiel, Timothy Beer, and Doug Draime.

What I'm doing at Massachusetts Poetry Fesitval

The 2012 Massachusetts Poetry Festival is happening April 20^th - April 22^rd in the beautiful and historic town of Salem!

Tonight I'll be getting erotic  with dancers and artists:

5:30 - 6:45pm on Friday, April 20 in Old Town Hall, Upstairs, 32 Derby Square, Salem, MA 01970

Spellbinding Kinetic Poetry, an interdisciplinary poetry-art-dance program, features thirteen Bay State and Gulf Coast poets reading erotic poems accompanied by the creation of a large-scale 4' x 25' visual-poetry broadside by a dancer and visual artist responding to poems in performance. This tapestry of spoken word activated dance and visual poetry will leave a passionate relic for audience appreciation before it is taken outside and burned for witchcraft.

Speakers
ALYSHIA LIEN
AMANDA AUCHTER
ANDI WERBLIN
JOSEPH NARDONI
KATE HANSON FOSTER
KEN JONES
LORI ZIMMERMANN
MICHAEL HOERMAN
PATRICK PIERCE
TIMOTHY GAGER

On Saturday I'll take over a trolley which circles the event area at 1:30 for a reading....hmm, a mic, a trolley and me might be dangerous.  

 

Poem from my "reply series" published on Extract(s)

About a week ago, I posted about my "reply series".

Today, Jenn Monroe's new poetry blog, Extract(s) was kind enough to publish, "reply to someone who said, u owe me a poem, boy."

If you feel someone owes you a poem, look around, there are poems everywhere. I think Warren Beatty owed Natalie Wood a poem. What do you think? 

It's a small world (after all)--Paragraph Line publishes "Their Own Planet".

The idea behind "Their Own Planet" had to do with love, taking two people out of their heads and out of the day to day thoughts of the world. Love's launch being so powerful puts you it is an entirely different place--smaller, intimate, more focused---like being another planet completely. Unfortunately, the world being what it is, sends you back, to the place where you are just a spec and must exist with everyone else. Perhaps, it's better that way. I remember someone telling me how the "It's a Small World" ride once broke when they were on it and everyone was stuck inside for hours, forced to hear the music tape loop. They ended up trudging out, ankle deep in the ride's water.

 Paragraph Line was a good fit for "Their Own Planet" as Jon Konrath, the proprietor  notes on the journal's page: "Paragraph Line is a literary journal of absurdist and outsider fiction, regularly published by Paragraph Line Books. Great emphasis is placed on not publishing "the usual". We publish regularly online, and publish a "best of" print (and ebook) anthology regularly. We're privately funded, and not affiliated with any school or writing program, which means we're not following the same old stodgy formula as traditional journals." 

PL also has featured Rusty Barnes and John Sheppard, two of my favorite writes. Thanks  Jon for accepting my work. 

2012 Boston National Poetry Month Festival at Boston Public Library

   

                                                                                      

                               

 I will be reading, Saturday 4/28....

 2012      PRESS RELEASE &  LISTING

 THE  BOSTON NATIONAL POETRY MONTH  FESTIVAL

                Now In Its Successful TWELFTH!!! Year

     CO-SPONSORS:  Tapestry of Voices & Kaji Aso Studio in partnership with the Boston Public Library, SAVE the DATES: Saturday, April 28th 10:00 A.M.- 4:40 P.M. OPEN MIKE: 1:30 to 3:00P.M.; & Sunday, April 29th^th, 1:10 to 4:30P.M. The Festival will be held at the library’s main branch in Copley Square. FREE ADMISSION

56 Major  and Emerging poets will each do a ten minute reading; ALSO

Featuring 6 extraordinarily talented prize winning high school students: from Boston Latin High School, Justin Singletary; Boston Arts Academy, Yolani Cruz and Molly Pope; Boston University Academy: Alessandra Davy-Falconi. Winner of the Helen Creeley Poetry Prize; Acton-Boxborough Regional: Soubhik Barari, winner of the Helen Creeley National Poetry High School Prize. These student stars will open  the Festival at 10:00 A.M.  SAM CORNISH, Boston’s current and first Poet Laureate will open the formal part  of the Festival at 11:00 A.M. 55 additional major  and emerging poets will follow with a

                                                           POETRY MARATHON

Some of the many  luminaries include SAM CORNISH, , Rhina P. Espaillat,  , Richard Wollman ,Christine Casson, Dan Tobin, Jennifer Barber,  Alfred Nicol, Kathleen Spivack , Doug Holder, Elizabeth Doran, Richard Hoffman, Lucy Holstedt Charles Coe,  Kim Triedman,  Ryk McIntyre, January O’Neil ,  Regie O’Gibson, Kate Finnegan (Kaji Aso Studio), Victor Howes, Susan Donnelly, Jack Scully, Rene Schwiesow, Chad Parenteau, Linda Larson, Tomas O’Leary,  Marc Goldfinger, Gloria Mindock, Timothy Gager, Diana Saenz, Stuart Peterfreund, Valerie Lawson, Michael Brown, Mignon Ariel King, Tom Daley, Molly Lynn Watt, Ifeanyi Menkiti, Lainie Senechal, Harris Gardner, Joanna Nealon, Walter Howard,   Susan Donnelly, Zvi Sesling,  Irene Koronas, Fred Marchant, Sheila Twyman, Robert K. Johnson, Suzanne E. Berger, and a Plethora of other prize winning poets.

This Festival has it all: Professional published  poets, celebrities, numerous prize winners, student  participation, OPEN MIKE.

Even more, it is about community, neighborhoods, diversity, Boston, and Massachusetts. This popular tradition is the largest event in Boston’s Contribution to National Poetry Month.  FREE ADMISSION !!!

FOR INFORMATION: Tapestry of Voices: 617-306-9484

Library: 617-536-5400

Wheelchair accessible. Assistive listening devices available. To request a sign language interpreter, or for other special needs, call 617-536-7855(TTY) at least two weeks before the program date.       

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rabb Lecture Hall - Middle and High Schools, Saturday 4/28 10:00 Boston Latin High School -  10:10 Boston Latin High School - Justin Singletary 10:20 Boston Arts Academy - Yolandi Cruz 10:30 Boston Arts Academy - Molly Pope  10:40 Boston Arts Academy -  10:50 Boston Arts Academy - OPEN MIKE 1:30-3:00 - Rooms 5-6

SATURDAY - APRIL 28, 2012	SATURDAY - APRIL 28, 2012	SUNDAY - APRIL 29, 2012
Rabb Lecture Hall  11:00 Sam Cornish 11:10 Elizabeth McKim 11:20 Regie O. Gibson 11:30 Joanna Nealon 11:40 Sheila Twyman 11:50 Chad Parenteau 12:00 Carol Weston 12:10 Robert K. Johnson 12:20 Walter Howard 12:30 Ryk McIntyre 12:40 Kate Finnegan           for Kaji Aso Studios  12:50 Kim Triedman 1:00 Linda Larson 1:10 Molly Bennett 1:20 Irene Koronas 1:30 Philip E. Burnham, Jr	Rabb Lecture Hall - continued 1:40 Frank Blessington 1:50 Valerie Lawson 2:00 Diana Saenz 2:10 Lucy Holstedt 2:20 Michael Brown 2:30 Ron Goba 2:40 Elizabeth Doran 2:50 Tomas O’Leary 3:00 Timothy Gager 3:10 Jack Scully 3:20 Rene Schwiesow 3:30 Carolyn Gregory 3:40 Suzanne E. Berger 3:50 Molly Watt4:00 Richard Hoffman 4:10 Jan Schreiber 4:20 Mignon Ariel King 4:30 Susan Donnelly	Rabb Lecture Hall1:10 Tom Daley 1:20 Ifeanyi Menkiti 1:30 Lo Galluccio 1:40 Dan Tobin 1:50 Kathleen Spivack 2:00 Gloria Mindock 2:10 Christine Casson 2:20 Lainie Senechal 2:30 Zvi Sesling 2:40 Rhina P. Espaillat 2:50 Harris Gardner 3:00 Stuart Peterfreund 3:10 Victor Howes 3:20 Alfred Nicol 3:30 Marc Goldfiinger 3:40 Charles Coe 3:50 Doug Holder 4:00 Fred Marchan 4:10 Richard Wollman 4:20 Jennifer Barber 4:30 Janury O’Neil

                                       

Two new poems at Fried Chicken and Coffee

This journal of rural lit­er­a­ture, working-class lit­er­a­ture, Appalachian lit­er­a­ture, and off-on com­men­tary, reviews, rants was named after this.




The first,  "reply to the grumpy cashier at the fast food restaurant"  is part of my "reply" series.If you're following along at home, which you aren't, you'd have previously read "reply to the person who said, theres' not a whole lot of happy going around" and "reply to the person who said, all my poems are said".

Also published today was, "Exclamation for a Separation, which happened long ago".

 ---------------

Redneck Press, the publishing arm of Fried Chicken and Coffee will be publishing my chapbook "Anti-Social Network"

Second Review of "Anti-Social Network", Lavinia Ludlow at Plumb

As I write this, Anti-Social Network is on the fast track to be released, but in the meantime, reviews are coming in. Lavinia Ludlow's (of Alt-Punk fame) review was broadcast today on PLUMB.  Interesting to note that these poems were mostly pre-sobriety for me, so perhaps I was trying to tell myself something while I was writing them. Perhaps, I think too much.



"Alec Baldwin played AIRPLANE in Words With Friends "



Read the review HERE

Of course, this clip is really anti-social.

Chiller in "In Between Altered States 23"

In Between Altered States has been good to me as they've published me five times. Their Editor, Aleathia Drehmer gives us some stats and the following quote from their blog:

"My biggest and baddest repeat offenders (who rock that sh*t out!) are: Robert Vaughan-6 Len Kuntz-6 Luis Berriozabal-5 Tim Gager-5 Shawn Misener-4 Ed Go-4 Cheryl Gardner-4 Kevin Ridgeway-4 Kristin Fouquet-3 Tim Murry-3 Jeffrey Miller-3 Josh Olsen-3 Melanie Browne-3 David Haase-3 Michael D. Goscinski-3 Maude Larke-3 Thanks everyone for all the support and keep 'em coming."

The story behind Chiller? I used to watch Chiller Theater on WPIX, Channel 11 in New York on Saturday mornings.


When I wrote the micro- fiction, Chiller, which appears in today's In Between Altered States, I was looking to combine the feel of some of those cheesy films,  with the feel (dark one-liners included)  of today's horror movies.

It's great to appear once more within In Between Altered States along with the following:

• Episode 23
• The Locality Principle by Jon Konrath
• Popped Pop by Tony Wayne Brown
• For What I Have Done by Grace Andreacchi
• The Seven Year Bitch by Michael D. Goscinski
• A Business Weekend by Warren Danbar
• Sunny Side Up by Andrew Stancek
• Chiller by Timothy Gager
• Let’s be assholes (on the nature of assholism) by Michael O’Brien