Stephen Miller’s literal whitewashing
Spraying from the Presidential mouth
At an international function used to decorum
As Kayleigh tries to create the alternate reality—
OH, THEY JUST LOVED OUR DEAR LEADER—
And at least 62 percent of Americans brace for
Another broadside smash from the Trump bumper car
He was part of both the poetry slam and “regular” poetry communities. I came onto the scene a bit too late to see him at his most active, but I experienced his work on a handful of occasions. Most times, he would turn up at readings just to watch and observe the features and open mic list.
And he certainly could speak his mind about the foibles and unspoken rules—privately offering counsel (which I may not have thought through enough) about when to say something and when prudent restraint was more apropos.
We fell out eventually and I only learned of his passing earlier today via Rev. Dave Wheeler (best known to me for his work with the Midnight Special bookstore and the early years of the Rapp Saloon reading).
Here are some nuggets of Bowerbird calling it as he saw it:
"...if you want to get noticed by the [community’s] in-crowd",
start taking workshops from some of them and kiss their ass.
oh yeah, you'll have to sever your ties with the "crap" poets too.
after a few years of that, they will start throwing you crumbs.
after years of _that_, you might make as much money as them.
it might sound crass, but there is no other way they'll notice you."
listserves are an "intelligentle" many-to-many communication,
because they enable discussion that can be full and thoughtful,
where many sides are able to speak to any and all of the issues,
but where any of the participants can opt out when they choose,
and all they have to do is use the "delete" key on their keyboard.
so any conflict isn't "in your face" unless you _want_ it to be...
***
but hey, don't interpret what i'm saying as "poets are not mean".
take it from me, poets can be _plenty_ vicious. _unspeakably._
and -- considering the size of the usual stakes -- unnecessarily.
but, like most backstabbing out in the real world, that happens
in secret, not right out in the open, like on the public listserves.
compared to that sneaky underhanded shit, what you see here is
mostly silly and laughable and childish...
i see from an e-mail in my in-box
that venue hosts are being called
"the unsung heroes" of the scene...
yes, hosts do a lot of work, it's true.
and if you've never done it yourself,
you'll likely underestimate, by half,
the amount of hassle that it can be,
constantly dealing with a bunch of
ego-maniacs who want the stage...
but let's look at the other side too...
first, producing gives you a huge boost
in visibility, and perceived "importance",
not to mention stage-time of your own,
and without having to fight anyone for it.
second, the ability to _book_others_
means that you have "a favor to trade",
and the favor-trading is very obvious...
indeed, when deserving poets come to me and
ask how they can get more feature invitations,
i regularly give them two recommendations:
1. just plain ask, and several will follow, and
2. start up your own series and book hosts,
as that's a sure way to get return bookings.
so let's not pretend that hosting is selfless.
it cuts both ways.
how these competing factors "balance"
is up to each one of us to decide, but
i think the fact that there is no shortage
of poetry series -- each with a host --
indicates how most poets weigh it out.
if hosts were really "the unsung heroes",
there wouldn't be so darn many of 'em,
because poets are _not_ very altruistic,
as anyone with experience will tell you.
(and hosts will be the first to verify that.)
no, where we have a clear _shortage_
is with the number of poets who are
willing to come to a show and _listen_,
without a strong ego-need for the stage.
_that_ is how selflessness reveals itself...
so if you're looking for "unsung heroes"
in _this_ scene, look for _those_ people.
(and hey, best of luck on finding any...)
as it is, any events that "host the hosts"
or "honor the poetry series in our scene"
looks like just another mutual back-pat
in the perpetual circle-jerk of our scene
from the perspective of _this_ observer...
-bowerbird
and the TV news local or national
feature the same tired old excuse
whenever protests happen and/or people are murdered
if ICE agents don’t wear masks
then they and their families are in danger
>
domestic government terrorists wearing masks
not all that different from KKK citizen terrorists
In approximate order of release:
BLACK BAG
THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND
SINNERS
BRING HER BACK
28 YEARS LATER
KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR (Cannes version)
HIGHEST 2 LOWEST
WEAPONS
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
ROOFMAN
THE SMASHING MACHINE
CHRISTY
FRANKENSTEIN
RENTAL FAMILY
WAKE UP DEAD MAN
HAMNET
MARTY SUPREME
Documentaries:
THE PERFECT NEIGHBOR
PREDATORS
COVER-UP
this is the new Manifest Destiny
oil and minerals more important than people
survival of the fittest with less helped by vaccines
as we watch and wait for Greenland to be breached
and NATO becomes our last hope
to stem the tide of ogliarch-appeasing conquest
it’s the Friday night bomb drop
night time is the right time
to avoid unwanted press coverage
>
Fox News shows a split screen
on the left is Caracas
at right is Maduro
photos chosen for Saddam resemblance
>
oh what joy says Susie Wiles
counting down the days and hours
with Donald and Pete
until Maduro apparently says uncle
>
what if Maduro fights back
and American boots meet Venezuelan soil
and afterwards Donald,
like a previous Donald,
says STUFF HAPPENS
and the oil industry friendly leader is rejected
>
again and again and again
same destructive things
same refusal to learn
same aversion to removing
the moral stains
from the American soul
Mix of familiar and lesser known:
THE VELVET TOUCH
GIRL WITH A SUITCASE
MY TRUE STORY
THE STEEL TRAP
CLASH BY NIGHT
THE KILLERS 1946
THE LIBERATION OF L.B. JONES
BLACK GRAVEL
STREETS OF FIRE
THE HARDER THEY FALL 1956
UPTIGHT
THE MURDERERS ARE AMONG US
NEW YORK CONFIDENTIAL
THE LONG HAUL
DEEP CRIMSON (Director’s Cut)
CRY OF THE CITY
THE EAGLE AND THE HAWK
In approximate order of release:
BLACK BAG
THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND
SINNERS
THE SHROUDS
BRING HER BACK
28 YEARS LATER
F1
KILL BILL: THE WHOLE BLOODY AFFAIR (Cannes version)
HIGHEST 2 LOWEST
WEAPONS
ONE BATTLE AFTER ANOTHER
THE SMASHING MACHINE
CHRISTY
FRANKENSTEIN
RENTAL FAMILY
WAKE UP DEAD MAN
HAMNET
