sanctuary
is often disguised
as lava
boiling out of the sea
in poisonous fog
where hell breaks
the waves

surtsey
rose like this
the galapagos
the azores and canaries
and all of hawai’i

paradise found
rising wreathed in toxins
from the gaping seams
of tattered old
pangea

we barely waited for them to cool
before we landed

the old world had
its dangers too

Both Ricardo Montalban and Patrick McGoohan, actors who played characters associated with mysterious islands, died today.

And here I sit working on the poem I posted yesterday called "Islanders…"

Patrick McGoohan, 80, passes on.

drgeorge , I’m looking at you….

When you die
you are given a choice
on how you will be reincarnated:
not
"animal or human,"
but
"animate or inanimate."
I chose the latter and
bang,
I’m smiling tonight,
every chrome tooth showing
all the time whether my mouth is closed
or open.  It’s satisfying
to be protecting this,
concealing this awful wrecked face
from his wailing next of kin,
so they don’t have to confront
how useless their son of a bitch relative
was and still is.

It’s going to be a long cold ride
from here to the morgue.
I’m perfect
for the job:  I was this cold in life,
and dark as the stiff plastic
I’m clutching now.  My burden
is leaking blood and I’m uncaring,
knowing it’ll all be over soon.

I wanted to be a guitar
but at least I get
to play one exquisite note
three times.
How many guitars
get to say they’ve played a man
from death to forgetting? 
I’m a rockstar
at last, if only a one hit wonder:
when they’re done with me,
I know they’ll burn me up.

Next time, I’ll be a fly.
Once you’ve found your calling,
you stick with it.

suck.  I’m feeling better but slept most of the day…sorry to have missed Cowboy at GPL . Hope it went well tonight.

I’m honestly just not up to seeing people.

Kick butt, johnnylexicon  . I’m sorry I won’t be there.   Have fun, everyone else.

Earlier today, Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz (twosnoos , of course, or one half, anyway) posted a link to a website that deals in current events related poetry:  The New Verse News .  I submitted something right away as the idea intrigued me — a website that uses poetry as a form of journalism.

They’ve accepted "Matters of Controversy,"  my recent piece on the Gaza disaster.  It’ll be up on Saturday.

So…two poems and a chapbook manuscript accepted this week; also, the Indiefeed feature last Friday. 

That’s it —  I’m taking tomorrow off.

Thanks, Cristin, for looking out for us…

OH — and sorry for missing out on both Storytellers and poker tonight, everyone.  Just couldn’t get out the door…

"As has been reported, we had staff cuts at LiveJournal Inc. this week. Early media reports seriously exaggerated the impact of the decision on the continued existence of LiveJournal as a company and misrepresented the scope of the staff cuts. The cuts were part of a restructuring that shifted global design and product development to the LiveJournal office in Moscow. Product decisions for the English-language site will still be made in the U.S., and LiveJournal Inc. remains headquartered in San Francisco…

The restructuring is done with an eye to the future to ensure the long-term viability of LiveJournal as a business. As a team, we know that LJ has a great future as it prepares for its second decade. We recently invested a considerable amount on all-new server equipment and a facility in Montana to house it all as part of our commitment to the longevity of LJ. We will be around for years to come and we’re committed to ensuring that your journals, friends pages, and communities will be, too.

As with any of these kinds of decisions, it’s always hardest to lose valued team members. We’re very sad to see our colleagues go and want to acknowledge all the hard work, dedication, and love they’ve given LiveJournal over the years. They will be missed. While they are no longer a part of LiveJournal Inc., they are still a part of the LJ community."

Well, I feel better now.

So I guess that placeholder "Dark Matter" blog I set up in case I have to migrate was all for naught, eh?  (WordPress, for those who care.  Nothing there now; don’t bother looking.  Just set up the account when I was paranoid about the potential for an LJ shutdown. All that work getting ready to migrate just in case — no reason to be worried!  Whew!  Glad THAT’s not gonna happen.)

Another storm coming in this weekend…we’re having a heck of a winter so far, oh boy…