As of this writing, I haven’t seen several of the awards season predetermined favorites, but this should change between now and mid-January:
THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN
PETIT MAMAN
HAPPENING
MEN
ARMAGEDDON TIME
NOPE
HATCHING
RESURRECTION
SPECTOR
SR.
THE DROP OUT
THE LAST MOVIE STARS
GLASS ONION: A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY
HONORABLE MENTION: TAR, THE FABELMANS, CRIMES OF THE FUTURE, ELVIS, BROS, WATCHER
Below is the measured account of Herschel Walker’s electoral defeat. But “soul searching” is wishful Grey Lady journalism: Republicans will wait until the spring of 2024 in hopes that Trump will be enough of a wounded mastodon before opting for either the odious Ron DeSantis or a return to Bush-era dog whistling to straddle both the moneyed don’t tax us establishment and the easily duped. knowledge-averse Trump base. And “tether itself” means “chain tightly in hopes of repeating the same playbook but praying for a different outcome.’
NYT: “Mr. Walker’s loss will almost certainly lead to soul-searching for a Republican Party that must decide heading into the 2024 election how firmly to tether itself to a former president who has now absorbed powerful political blows in three successive campaign cycles.”
they come easier at my age
don’t know if it’s from staring too long at a tablet
maybe it’s flashbacks from the irresolvable past
perhaps a reminder to enjoy and not dread the future
Mel dug a deep hole
so Kanye could dig it deeper
both using Jesus as a Holy Shield
>
Jesus voices his disapproval
but Mel still has a career
and Kanye keeps setting fires
>
people freeze in place
say can you believe this
think they’re insulated from danger
after the scythe cleared away too much staff
pivoting to Plan B with specious polling
allowing the worst to return or think about it
babbling about freedom, giving out wedgies
just like high school bullies spraying insecurity
using bandwidth to post pix of guns and diet soda
saying hey they’re talking about Twitter Bird again
as the wounded satellite crashes to Earth
creating a desert where information and connections
once united a fragmented world
before you spent your billions
to dent something you’ll never understand
when you insulted me on the high school stairs
I didn’t reply, hurried to the next class
of course, I conformed to the derisive, homophobic laughter of others
how dare you choose Frank Zappa over Kiss
don’t you know it’s weird to dye your hair that color
>
but I was shocked by your death from despair
knew how smart you were
thought you’d free yourself from our small town
and find people who would love you without judgments
>
so sorry for my cowardice
my stupid belief that your pain was a contagious virus
so glad to know that I have no problems down there
the last colonoscopy unearthed small precancerous polyps
three years and two plus months later, apparently nothing
I received the color colonic pictures, thought about UNCUT GEMS
waiting for the doctor’s official all clear letter
wanting to be here for the next one in five years
should I, I ask myself
will she think I’m bothering her?
embracing temptation, I walk towards
the table she sits at in the university library
saying hello, she smiles and says hello
small talk about school and studies
then I mention how it’s been almost a year
since we were Saturday acting classmates
it becomes quiet; neither of us know what to say
I throw a pebble into the silence
time for me to resume studying
take care, have a good rest of your weekend
she smiles and says you too in a warm voice
>
after returning to my table,
I open my high school English book
read e.e. cummings poem buffalo bill’s defunct
as my mind’s eye watches a balloon climb the sky
before disappearing
surrounded by doctors and nurses
fighting the odor of transplant
faith in their assurances of extended life
many thoughts of what I’ve done so far
and all the things I’m looking forward to
once I become free to rejoin the world outside
when what you want
and what your parents want for you
are two different things entirely
and you bend to keep peace
but finding out you have no aptitude
for the profession chosen to please them
slogging along nonetheless
classes are a chore
you don’t identify with CPA-bound classmates
at least you enjoy University symphonic band
even though you’re only competent
because you’ve made a few friends
watching some of them on track
to become band directors in nearby towns
wishing silently you could change majors
but not wanting to be harangued about practicality
you’re disappointing yourself
and eventually your parents will give up
watch you flail but won’t let you starve
went to see the poetry bully at the anthology reading
not necessarily to see him but a few others on the bill
as have we all, he has aged a bit
now he looks like a backup musician for The Black Keys
instead of the vibrant slam artist/tastemaker of yore
I still remember him cybercalling me witless friendless talentless turd
because I took issue with his basement literary circle jerk
intended only for him and his coterie of special friends
>
so he read his contribution to the poetry anthology
some write bloody nonsense about him with a woman
I looked in vain for the bookstore cat
figured out he might be in the upstairs office
so his feline responses wouldn’t throw the poetry bully off-stride
>
listened to the poets after bullyman—most were better
but I recall the rifle butt to my self esteem
oh I tore the powerful bully’s tissue paper feelings
and he never even met me (or, likely, bothered with my poems)
just decided to give the stink eye
to fall in line with others who needed him
but I persevere decades later
>
don’t want him ever again being the arbiter of me
damn sure don’t want him at my funeral
get in the car with me
we’ll take Highway 25 from Electra
past the United Methodist Church
past the Memorial Hospital
going a number of miles
until we reach the four-way stoplight
where I pull to the right and park
>
see the amusement park rides
all in pieces and sleeping
this is where fun goes to hibernate
maybe the rides will go to other towns
or perhaps they’ll be sold for scrap
>
son, get back in the car
you just learned an important life lesson
don’t assume things will stay the same
The right arm is tightly connected to medication line
No side sleeping for obvious reasons
Time to relearn lying on one’s back
For just an hour or two at a time
Before disruption so nurses can check vital signs
Plus how much urine is inside plastic container
Try to close eyes again
As a loud flush emerges from bathroom
Be aware of early wake-up time
>
Repeat the above for 7 to 10 nights
it was so hard in those years
growing into my teens
kept on a parental leash
wanting female companionship
without knowing what to say
and how to listen to what was said
>
at 21, I was emotionally aged 14
but somehow was blessed with
women wanting my companionship
and I began the transition from writing
unattainable people’s names in notebook margins
to learning what to say
and when to say nothing—
especially to not overreact
to hearing the word “no”
in New Mexico
on a Sony black and white TV
heard the news that Elvis Presley died
and on ABC late night, Bing Crosby eulogized
in a measured way, not speaking ill of someone he disdained
and about six weeks later, Bing finished his final round of golf
>
Elvis wasn’t present tense in certain people’s minds
since the ALOHA FROM HAWAII special in 1973
but I remember AM radio in Wichita Falls playing
his cover versions of Promised Land and Hurt
and thinking he still can sing
>
I picked up a paperback of ELVIS WHAT HAPPENED
from a drugstore book rack, glancing at certain pages
then deciding not to buy it
thinking it’s probably true but too soon to confront
>
about two months later, AM radio played Elvis singing My Way
and Elvis, approaching the end of his concert career,
prematurely performed his epitaph
>
stream that record or watch the YouTube video
to remember the promise,
the fulfillment and what remains today
watched some of it remotely
then saw some of its faces on, of course, Facebook
some have aged notably
one person now carries a blindness cane
two people I unfortunately remember from when I was younger
and starry-eyed and quiet and wanting to belong
>
some accepted me and others did not
and it didn’t help when I rowed the perceived Wrong Way
I was bullied—people said they were defending themselves
then I lost myself and responded with retaliation—
thinking I was standing up for myself—
plus there was anonymous hazing where others knew
but chose to be silent, perhaps thinking they were friends
or worried over offending a flawed totem they chose to enable
>
I was treated for Multiple Myeloma last year
and, upon transplant recovery, realized how big the world was
also how small today’s celebrated poetry scene is
(remote viewing when I checked didn’t go past mid-two digits)
>
I can’t do anything about a past that, thankfully, is now distant
I can only write hoping someone might read someday
I can watch remotely and appreciate what is good
but I am still painfully aware of who my friends aren’t
and I saw too many of them gathered in Facebook photos
on the grounds of the Los Angeles Central Library
you can shred
you can flush
you can claim Executive Privilege
but you can’t stop Justice
though you’ll distort and fundraise off of this
>
may this be the beginning of the end
of the long national nightmare,
the wrecking ball repeatedly smashing democracy
say nothing
let the plate crash on the floor
send out the manager instead
allow the official ticket seller
to wave a wand of percentages
>
keep saying nothing
not even something like:
hey E Street Nation
I carry a lot of band and crew around
and we’re making up for pandemic hiatus
>
instead, it’s hey look over there
watch this video of me
playing with Jack Antonoff’s Bleachers
forget that you can’t get online
to buy regular price tickets
until Dynamic Pricing kicks in
>
keep saying nothing
In his new film NOPE (UFOs, killer chimpanzee, monster in human form), Jordan Peele avoids explaining plot details, trusting the audience to pay attention and discover without being spoon-fed.
That was too much for a Yahoo.com commenter on a MEN’S HEALTH article about the film’s meaning.
Here’s the commenter (name omitted):
Most people want to see a move to be entertained, not to leave the theater and have to figure out what they just watched and then have to read 2000 words to get a better understanding. This move has the correct title Peele nailed it, NOPE!
1. Don’t Bother Me (I’m Trying To Overthrow The Election)
2. Don’t Let Me Down (with Mike Pence-specific lyrics)
3. Rudy Talk To Tuberville
4. Go Home, You Wonderful Capitol Vandals
5. The Election Isn’t Over
6. Kevin and Lindsey Will Come Around
7. Run Hawley Run
8. Lachlan Murdoch Don’t Fail Me Now
9. Just One More Chance (lyric prompts by Ivanka)
they killed Roe Versus Wade
then they went after the EPA
ideologues giving extremists what they crave
laws only to be decreed by corporations and states
large money Democrats yodel this familiar tune:
VOTE BLOOO NO MATTER WHOOO
some voters will be scared into blind support
terror of a nation with federal bans and more overturns
but if the Democratic majorities occur
very little of what’s promised will change
with lots of rationalizations about the Beltway
and reluctance to do anything resembling activism
because activism might scare big donors and cultural conservatives
so get ready for an America with liberty liposuctioned
and a 2024 with air raid sirens again yodeling:
VOTE BLOOO NO MATTER WHOOO
1. The Warmth Of The Sun 2. Guess I'm Dumb (Brian wrote and produced this for pre-stardom Glen Campbell; this is the prototype for PET SOUNDS) 3. I Just Wasn't Made For These Times 4. I Know There's An Answer 5. This Whole World 6. Add Some Music To Your Day 7. Surf's Up 8. Heroes And Villains 9. Still I Dream Of It 10. Johnny Carson 11. Solar System 12. Cabinessence 13. Love And Mercy 14. Baby Let Your Hair Grow Long 15. Rio Grande 16. Soul Searchin (track with Brian and Carl) 17. Your Imagination 18. Til I Die 19. Pacific Coast Highway 20. It’s OK (LONG PROMISED ROAD soundtrack)
Beyond the big hits of Paul McCartney's post-Beatles career, here's a playlist of lesser-known gems: 1. Junk 2. Tomorrow 3. Dear Boy 4. Back Seat Of My Car 5. Mamumia 6. Mrs. Vanderbilt 7. Bluebird 8. Waterfalls 9. Take It Away 10. Here Today 11. Ballroom Dancing 12. No Values 13. Footprints 14. This One 15. Put It There 16. Calico Skies 17. Little Willow 18. Somedays 19. Only Mama Knows 20. End Of The End 21. Jenny Wren 22. Friends To Go 23. On My Way To Work 24. Early Days 25. Summer of 59 26. Frank Sinatra’s Party 27. Find My Way 28. Winter Bird/When Winter Comes
Turning the floor over to poet/editor Don Kingfisher Campbell:
Buy a printed copy of Scenes of Southern California, Vol. 3: Poetry of Movies for $15 a copy (includes shipping) until July 14th, 2022. Please use FB Pay (Don Kingfisher Campbell), Venmo (@don-campbell-82), or Zelle (donkingfishercampbell@gmail.com) to pay. Or snail mail a check to Don Campbell, 1313 Edgewood Dr, Alhambra, CA 91803-1909.
UNEXPLAINED TORNADOES JUST KEEP TOUCHING DOWN
woman interviewed by MSNBC says:
we’ll just have to lock our doors now
bring our car keys in
sleep with a rifle next to the bed
>
nothing on Earth will convince her
and millions of others
to put faith and trust in alternatives
>
no banning AR-15s
no background checks
pray for unstable killers
to never cross your path
>
it’s the deceptively simple price
of supporting the right of the militia-minded individual
to keep, bear and use arms
whenever and wherever
anger and sadism trump reason
we act shocked
at something we didn’t foresee
offer thoughts and prayers
and do nothing after this one
repeating this broken cycle
too many times
in too many lifetimes
of victims, families and survivors
Roe V Wade was settled law until it wasn’t
the Federalists got what they lobbied for
the Fundamentalists rejoicing over Alito
as he, with his team of ideological vandals,
used pickaxes and jackhammers
to remove over 50 years of asphalt
forcing women to walk barefoot on cobblestones
the nerd prom apparently isn’t smart enough
to install new air filters to purge aerosols
and it chose not to use ultraviolet Covid killing light
maybe the organizers didn’t want people
to have a chance at better mass gathering health
as they laugh at Trevor Noah’s safe jokes
before he ascends to James Corden’s throne
Only five days remaining in National Poetry Month, and here’s my small contribution—a reading of Martin Espada’s “Death Rides the Elevator in Brooklyn” from his book FLOATERS pic.twitter.com/igCe8aH34n
Thanks to Michael Grover, a colleague from two decades past, for introducing me to Martin Espada’s poetry.
At the risk of annoying or boring Daniel Radcliffe, here I am with some opinions.
First, regarding Bruce Willis’s retirement due to aphasia::
It’s truly sad he was apparently trotted out for two day jobs (at $2 million per extended cameo/co-star/support) to provide income for a dependent entourage. Variants of this happened with the latter-day careers of Glen Campbell and Tony Bennett—and air freshener remarks like “he loves to perform’ and “look how he still has muscle memory” are sprayed about to neutralize any comments about the dubious ethics of making a performer work under diminishing physical and mental conditions.
As for Will Smith slapping Chris Rock:
Jada Pinkett Smith could have easily confronted Rock about his history of jokes at her expense somewhere besides the Dolby Theater.
It’s a stunted, should be outdated, vision of manhood for Will Smith, aware of the certainty of winning the Best Actor Academy Award, to hit Chris Rock over a joke and then for Smith to use his acceptance speech to justify his behavior and link it to Richard Williams.
Yes, Smith has apologized publicly.
And, yes, the Academy is figuring out ways to defuse Sunday’s fallout on the way to what looks like a mild censure with the likelihood that no Academy personnel will have their employment terminated.
Of course, Will and Oprah are likely to have a CBS summit meeting.
And Will’s autobiography will go to paperback with a bonus chapter mixing rationalizations and apologies.
please just one more ring
one more ring one more ring one
please please one more ring
white rabbit in Moscow
handing out flyers on the street
pretends nothing is wrong for two minutes
then worries over Ukranian relatives
regrets Putin jumping off a steep cliff
taking millions of Russians and Ukrainians with him
>
white rabbit in Moscow
checks pocket for enough rubles
to avoid sleeping in the subway
Who wants to play those virtual aces and eights
Who wants a big big raiseIn no specific order:
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
THE SPARKS BROTHERS
LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
HOLLER
SUMMER OF SOUL
NO SUDDEN MOVE
HACKS
THE BEATLES: GET BACK
ANNETTE
HOUSE OF GUCCI
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
BENEDETTA
MALIGNANT
LANDSCAPERS
LICORICE PIZZA
SPENCER
PARALLEL MOTHERS
The jackhammer pounding
Of government, industry, media
Repeat the same propaganda:
Get back to normal
Go back to work
It’s mild, they say
Five days at home are enough
We haven’t licked this disease yet
Hell, there’s no Omicron vaccine until maybe March
People are filling hospital beds again
But by all means, reclaim normal
We’re giving away half our N95 stockpile
Only four tests a month via USPS
Ready or not, we’ll tempt you to
Go back to the mall, hang out, shop
We might put up warning signs
But we’re not the mask police
Be normal again
But don’t blame us when you get sick
into the submarine again
doing my best to stay clear
of the bodyjacking Delta and Omicron
seeing just one other person
unless it’s time to leave for provisions
staying clear of those grocery aisles
where people still take off masks
to talk on their cell phones
>
thanks to a belligerent one-third of a nation
we’re going into year three of unnecessary hell
Wake up mid-morning
Make a list of what is needed
Decide what necessities are nearby
Put on my tight fitting N95 mask
Erect a window for only necessary pursuits
The window must have exact proportions
Because there are only a few non-peak hours
>
Mid-afternoon , return home
With mild fatigue from two hours activity
Take my doses of maintenance medication
Think about tomorrow
Hope for a better year to come
In no specific order:
JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH
THE SPARKS BROTHERS
LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
HOLLER
SUMMER OF SOUL
NO SUDDEN MOVE
HACKS
THE BEATLES: GET BACK
ANNETTE
HOUSE OF GUCCI
THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
BENEDETTA
MALIGNANT
LANDSCAPERS
Honorable Mention: THE CARD COUNTER/PASSING/THE NIGHT HOUSE/THE LAST DUEL/THE HARDER THEY FALL/CANDYMAN 2021/BELFAST/NIGHTMARE ALLEY 2021/WEST SIDE STORY 2021/SPENCER/THE LOST DAUGHTER/HALSTON
it’s all over now as we continue to live in a house divided which cannot stand as it is but one-third of a nation still thinks they’re doing just fine thank you and yes it was the kind of a year (as Mel Torme used to sing on a nostalgic TV show) where people in government made unforced errors regarding the spread of coronavirus variants and kept their jobs and the president at least got infrastructure passed but voting rights for all was deemed something lesser, perhaps something to fundraise off of this year until the midterms arrive and don’t forget the fundraising off of let’s have a majority of Democrats who will still most likely default to Oh Dear! What Will the Republicans think?
meanwhile the sonic firework booms detonate outside and some of us are ready to hunker down one more time and stay in our fallout shelters until both January and/or Omicron ends
how well or poorly will we fare for this the second full year of living with instead of vanquishing plague
