I went out at lunch and got the tattoo I meant to get in Albuquerque.
The word “mestizo” (for a mixed Native/White person) on my left shoulder, to parallel the word “poet” on my right.
States of being, y’know?
Monthly Archives: August 2005
Fun facts about NPS and me
1. I skipped every side event except Slamfamily and the Erotic Open.
2. I read one poem the whole time I was there. It was not at Slamfamily.
2a. The poem I read is called “The Last Word” and is better known as “Let’s Fuck.” Based on observed NPS behavior, though, I think I’ll be changing the title to “Wanna Make Out?” Making out seems to be the equivalent of a business card exchange in the slam community these days.
3. I got drunker on Wednesday than I have in a good two years — since last NPS, I suspect.
4. When someone told me (no names) that she didn’t recognize me because I’d gotten grayer, my recent weight loss of 50+ lbs. became as dust in my mouth.
5. I skipped getting another tattoo because I would have had to stay up too late.
6. I indulged my upper middle class income to splurge on a convertible for a cruise out into the western desert to Acoma.
7. I was confirmed in my desire and need to move to New Mexico. Again.
8. I confirmed my complete retirement from slam competition. Again.
9. Yes, this includes iWPS.
10. I realized that since I grew up in a dysfunctional family, the slam family is the only type of family I am remotely capable of functioning in.
Poems of the week for me: Rachel M. doing “…Wish You Were Beautiful,” DC/Baltimore (Christian Drake) doing “Birdwatching,” and Matt McDonald of Delawhere doing “Jeanne D’Arc” — and scoring well with it. Really well.
See y’all in Austin, if not sooner. Maybe we’ll make out.
Bargh
I am socompletelymotherfuckingoverwhelmed with schoolworkhomefamilyscenedrama that I might start a band just to put everything totally overthefuckingtop.
How do you think I’d look in a formal straitjacket?
weights and measures
the greatest measure
of her pain
was that sole eyelash
that fell
from her face
as she wiped away tears
disbelieving
what she was seeing
but the scale tipped
back in her favor
when she closed her eyes tight
and turned away
from them
she was a whole year lighter
by the time
she reached the door
Feature in the offing…
I’ll be in Park Slope, Brooklyn, at Words of Wisdom/the Spoken Words Cafe on Sept. 28.
I’ll be featuring with Barbara Newsome and Patrick Rosal. (Info, anyone? Patrick Rosal’s work I think I know, but Barbara Newsome is unfamiliar to me.)
Details to follow…
candlelight vigil tonight
for Cindy Sheehan. Organized by drgeorge.
In my little hometown of Uxbridge…right on the town common.
Skip said he’d be happy with 10 attendees.
55 showed up.
Yeah.
hey —
I’ll be in Chicago on Sept. 19 and 20th. What’s going on? Not necessarily looking for features, but definitely want to see something at the least.
Of course, if a feature pops up, I ain’t opposed.
Acoma
The most sacred place I’ve ever been
is a dirt floored
mission church
in Acoma, New Mexico.
The men who built it in 1709
carried the logs for the roof
for thirty five miles on their shoulders
and never let one of them touch the ground.
I am not
the only one
who cries
upon hearing this.
The churchyard and its audience of
blacktipped crosses
look into the doorway
from the August heat,
into the church that has only
three windows
and still holds more light
than all of the valley beyond.
I have been here before.
I have been here since the first time I came.
I may have been here before that.
I am surely here, now.
The pillars of the altar are red and white, like me.
The guide tells us that there’s no conflict here
between Christ and the corn.
I am beginning to believe…
so however I may speak
of God tomorrow,
I am kneeling under the cross
on this solid earth tonight.
Guiltily pickpocketed from _antipathy_
Go to Google, do a search of “[your name] is” – it has to be in quotes – and pick out your top 10 from the listings:
Tony Brown is a National Headliner
Tony Brown is one of the greatest unsung poets of our day
Tony Brown is an ass kisser and a snake in the grass
Tony Brown is expected to make a full recovery from head injuries
Tony Brown pulls no punches
Tony Brown is a poet, publisher, columnist and the host of the Poets’ Asylum
Tony Brown is a Professor of Paleoanthropology
Tony Brown is a Black man (his preferred term)
Tony Brown has his studio at Atkinson House…Liverpool
Tony Brown is the visiting Lecturer
I was struck by how many were actually about me.
Your turn.
ETA: I went and just did “Tony is.” I’ll spare you a long list, but this was too good to skip…
“Tony is a Llama, sometimes called a Yama. Tony has a Llama’s body…Tony is
a cool and laid back Llama, but he is also a very smart Llama…”
I have to get out of here.
Job.
Massachusetts.
Everything else.
I need to move to New Mexico. I’ve known that for fifteen years; I know it more than ever now.
Have to.
back
from nationals.
gonna dive into schoolwork this week. read my friends list for people who will be doing far more updating than I will.
won’t be around much.
very sad to be back home.
love you all.
Dark Matter 