i wonder about the story
of the yellow tree or trees
not in any forest but
in people's yards close to houses
limbed close to the trunk
& skinned—all bark removed—
then painted yellow to signify
something i don't know
& the sarajevo eye from
a mortar round on wall
of a hostel above a bakery
—pekera edin—in old
turkish market adjacent
austro–hungarian-built
sarajevo city hall not used
many years before archduke
ferdinand & his wife sophia
were assassinated in the street
& that triggered the great war
—world war i—& the end
of that empire though yugoslavia
wasn't built—pulled together—
until 1943 in world war ii
& i wonder about buildings
in belgrade bombed by nato
bombed by canadian & american
fighter jets & some buildings
have not been rebuilt—have not
been cleaned up—have unexploded
bombs inside them today
these many years after the bombing
& will they ever safely be
defused & removed?
12 March 2012
11 March 2012
staircase poem 35
on friday afternoon after
centre for arts & technology
graduation ceremony or awards
something ended in auditorium
crowd of parents students &
siblings stream through hall
& down the stairs to the world
but some pool on this landing
quietly waiting for something
out of the crowd steps jean
rooney irish–canadian artist
& part-time instructor at cfat
with a passion for artmaking
& a tale of altered typewriters
too strong for fredericton public
she's been told but she wants
for me to see them sometime
—maybe at type-in event?
a typewriter with alpha-
numeric keys replaced
with teeth—both real
human teeth & dental casts
—then used to type
with teeth hitting–biting
ribbon & inking paper—
& another typewriter with teeth
for the rows of buttons
to touch type or hunt’n’peck
centre for arts & technology
graduation ceremony or awards
something ended in auditorium
crowd of parents students &
siblings stream through hall
& down the stairs to the world
but some pool on this landing
quietly waiting for something
out of the crowd steps jean
rooney irish–canadian artist
& part-time instructor at cfat
with a passion for artmaking
& a tale of altered typewriters
too strong for fredericton public
she's been told but she wants
for me to see them sometime
—maybe at type-in event?
a typewriter with alpha-
numeric keys replaced
with teeth—both real
human teeth & dental casts
—then used to type
with teeth hitting–biting
ribbon & inking paper—
& another typewriter with teeth
for the rows of buttons
to touch type or hunt’n’peck
staircase poem 34
imagen no disponsible
even quieter today
in arts centre than yester-
saturday & hall lights off
sun through windows illuminates
& i remember the complaint
from tenants not my neighbours
in halifax apartment below
a complaint delivered
as a warning from landlord
that i cannot type
in the nightime
because the sound disturbed
—& that with a purring
ibm selectric not a manual
& now i envision
flash mob on with typewriters
filling a café or bar
parliament hill queen’s park
with an open mic for reading
the just composed & typed
some see me as gallery sitter
or attendant as i have been
oft in times past in halifax
new york city & fredericton
but i prefer being here
with intent & purpose
more than watching dust
motes float on the air
as posters slowly fade
in the sun’s strong light
even quieter today
in arts centre than yester-
saturday & hall lights off
sun through windows illuminates
& i remember the complaint
from tenants not my neighbours
in halifax apartment below
a complaint delivered
as a warning from landlord
that i cannot type
in the nightime
because the sound disturbed
—& that with a purring
ibm selectric not a manual
& now i envision
flash mob on with typewriters
filling a café or bar
parliament hill queen’s park
with an open mic for reading
the just composed & typed
some see me as gallery sitter
or attendant as i have been
oft in times past in halifax
new york city & fredericton
but i prefer being here
with intent & purpose
more than watching dust
motes float on the air
as posters slowly fade
in the sun’s strong light
10 March 2012
staircase poem 33
could crowdfunding work
for a poet & poetry project
the way salmon arm community
published spit on wishes
nearly thirty years ago
by horse-logging poet lorne
dufour many years after
he dropped out of university
with an incomplete thesis
on the poetry of ______
with susan musgrave a fellow
student & poet (& she has
appeared in a poem of mine
before—one in open road west)
was just asked to enter field
after corporate harvesters
glean a little & make comments
for deaf eyes & blind ears
sit at the table & negotiate
together like the coworkers
you are in defence of striking
’port workers & bosses stop
your bullying now & forever
else activists will be active
& show support at your door
where you don’t want them seen
—workers should be working
not on strike without a contract
for a poet & poetry project
the way salmon arm community
published spit on wishes
nearly thirty years ago
by horse-logging poet lorne
dufour many years after
he dropped out of university
with an incomplete thesis
on the poetry of ______
with susan musgrave a fellow
student & poet (& she has
appeared in a poem of mine
before—one in open road west)
was just asked to enter field
after corporate harvesters
glean a little & make comments
for deaf eyes & blind ears
sit at the table & negotiate
together like the coworkers
you are in defence of striking
’port workers & bosses stop
your bullying now & forever
else activists will be active
& show support at your door
where you don’t want them seen
—workers should be working
not on strike without a contract
staircase poem 32
irish night before summer
professional training opps
stretch & float to the floor
make like an earthquake
deliver progress as promised
four parts in four emails
before super away to antigonish
& an art exhibit opening
fabrique en canada
le hipster parti du canada
rusty trail of poems sticker
from dineen drive lamp standard
—rust-water stained paper
for journal & this poem—
an information-free mylar tag
& mike mesheau (1998) "years
i worked to have art moved from
the shore" (p. 23) says (2011)
"let your stick people go!" (n.p.)
—oui je cherchez l'étage et
fond forêt—two picaroons
for saturday lunch at closed
alden nowlan house bar
dunu & džo on the deck
sitting in sun with pints
before heading for charlotte
street & this typewriter
hi ho hi ho it's off
to poem writing i go!!!
poetry is a right
a write a rite
not a mortgage
or mortgageable
to borrow money against
& pay back with interest
from your poem returns
professional training opps
stretch & float to the floor
make like an earthquake
deliver progress as promised
four parts in four emails
before super away to antigonish
& an art exhibit opening
fabrique en canada
le hipster parti du canada
rusty trail of poems sticker
from dineen drive lamp standard
—rust-water stained paper
for journal & this poem—
an information-free mylar tag
& mike mesheau (1998) "years
i worked to have art moved from
the shore" (p. 23) says (2011)
"let your stick people go!" (n.p.)
—oui je cherchez l'étage et
fond forêt—two picaroons
for saturday lunch at closed
alden nowlan house bar
dunu & džo on the deck
sitting in sun with pints
before heading for charlotte
street & this typewriter
hi ho hi ho it's off
to poem writing i go!!!
poetry is a right
a write a rite
not a mortgage
or mortgageable
to borrow money against
& pay back with interest
from your poem returns
09 March 2012
staircase poem 31
someone took my chair
tough to sit to type
chairless or chair-free
borne-free & so not a lion
substanced liquid a chai
schwarzer in travel mug with
i support my bargaining team
still stretched around it
yesterday was international
women's day & i did not do
anything in celebration
wore a jean jacket outside
warm enough many do not
wear sweaters or coats
as major snowmelt happens
& i limp while walking
heavy rain in the night
jupiter venus & moon obscured
snow flurries before dawn
& they end before winds
enter the last bend
final weekend in this
trail of poems prolific
report approaches 200 pages
how many poems in a bushel?
how many apples: 84 to 168
depending upon their weight
how many wishes in a sheep?
tough to sit to type
chairless or chair-free
borne-free & so not a lion
substanced liquid a chai
schwarzer in travel mug with
i support my bargaining team
still stretched around it
yesterday was international
women's day & i did not do
anything in celebration
wore a jean jacket outside
warm enough many do not
wear sweaters or coats
as major snowmelt happens
& i limp while walking
heavy rain in the night
jupiter venus & moon obscured
snow flurries before dawn
& they end before winds
enter the last bend
final weekend in this
trail of poems prolific
report approaches 200 pages
how many poems in a bushel?
how many apples: 84 to 168
depending upon their weight
how many wishes in a sheep?
08 March 2012
found photo du jour
07 March 2012
Irving Layton Centerary Reading: Fredericton
12 March 2012, Monday, 8 pm, an Irving Layton Centenary event in Fredericton. Centenary events are happening across Canada.
A Community Poetry Reading featuring Raymond Fraser, Joe Blades, Allison Calvern, and more at an Open Mic, will happen at Alden Nowlan House, 676 Windsor St, Fredericton, NB.
Everyone is welcome to read their favourite Irving Layton poem or poems for and about him and his writings.
For more information, please contact:
Allison Calvern acalvern @ nbnet.nb.ca
or Joe Blades joeblades @ nb.aibn.com
Ashes, Paper & Beans: 7 mars 2012
Ashes, Paper & Beans: Host: Joe Blades. CHSR 97.9 FM, http://www.chsrfm.ca/ Fredericton, NB.
A World Poetry Movement & Ashes, Paper, & Beans Open Mic Reading, 29 February 2012 @ Alden Nowlan House, UNB Fredericton:
Joe Blades, emcee;
Nela Rio, Carlos Morales, Robert Shiplett, & Joe Blades, readers.
Fredericton author reading PSAs.
bill bissett: Opening Chant
Aural Heather: Princess Nut
Patrick Woodcock: White Boots
A World Poetry Movement & Ashes, Paper, & Beans Open Mic Reading, 29 February 2012 @ Alden Nowlan House, UNB Fredericton:
Joe Blades, emcee;
Nela Rio, Carlos Morales, Robert Shiplett, & Joe Blades, readers.
Fredericton author reading PSAs.
bill bissett: Opening Chant
Aural Heather: Princess Nut
Patrick Woodcock: White Boots
06 March 2012
staircase poem 30
imagine tim isaac with his
beard & a cello made
& fired in his studio—karen
bach & his raku pottery
on bay of fundy shore—
tim playing like a sweet fiend
blues on his raku cello
consider this poem a challenge
consider this poem a wake-up call
a rallying point in ongoing
mis/re/education of poet
& reader–coauthor alike
writing friends & observed people
into poems then hearing response
from them making more poems
by me & inspiring others to write
listen up folks: poems are wanted
not just at the periphery of your
vision illusive as rare birds
winter storms travel north
out of their element into yours
hopefully not plato's republic
poems live in our hearts minds
& whole bodies—all together
beard & a cello made
& fired in his studio—karen
bach & his raku pottery
on bay of fundy shore—
tim playing like a sweet fiend
blues on his raku cello
consider this poem a challenge
consider this poem a wake-up call
a rallying point in ongoing
mis/re/education of poet
& reader–coauthor alike
writing friends & observed people
into poems then hearing response
from them making more poems
by me & inspiring others to write
listen up folks: poems are wanted
not just at the periphery of your
vision illusive as rare birds
winter storms travel north
out of their element into yours
hopefully not plato's republic
poems live in our hearts minds
& whole bodies—all together
05 March 2012
staircase poem 29
no overnight parking
again we have snow flurries
& a mix of black ice wet
roads & unwalkable sides
some say this is white
lion at the in of march
but i feel 5th is too late
in like a lamb—cold
standing in the snow
that fell in february
perhaps march will exit
with a roar after promise
of paddy's day storm
dragons like lamb & sheep
hungry dragons not making
transcriptions of wool & wine
three dragons sent aloft
from fredericton o're atlantic
to das deutche drachenmuseum
lamb & rice olives & tomatoes
for dinner on turkish mountainside
& i've a turkey in the oven
no curry shoppe in currie centre
it's not right—just say no
no currie fee imposed on students
again we have snow flurries
& a mix of black ice wet
roads & unwalkable sides
some say this is white
lion at the in of march
but i feel 5th is too late
in like a lamb—cold
standing in the snow
that fell in february
perhaps march will exit
with a roar after promise
of paddy's day storm
dragons like lamb & sheep
hungry dragons not making
transcriptions of wool & wine
three dragons sent aloft
from fredericton o're atlantic
to das deutche drachenmuseum
lamb & rice olives & tomatoes
for dinner on turkish mountainside
& i've a turkey in the oven
no curry shoppe in currie centre
it's not right—just say no
no currie fee imposed on students
staircase poem 28
in the grocery store a
teenage girl holds a chunk
of ice in a clear plastic bag
to her left cheek while
with her right hand she
operates a video camera
all the while narrating
something about monday
of march break while directing
her father on their grocery
shopping expedition—the two
narratives weaving together
alongside the video
on hd magnetic tape inside
her palm-sized camera
why the ice i don't know
why the video i don't know
why both simultaneously
i again don't know
but i suspect her narratives
will tell these stories
will show them wherever
what she's doing goes
teenage girl holds a chunk
of ice in a clear plastic bag
to her left cheek while
with her right hand she
operates a video camera
all the while narrating
something about monday
of march break while directing
her father on their grocery
shopping expedition—the two
narratives weaving together
alongside the video
on hd magnetic tape inside
her palm-sized camera
why the ice i don't know
why the video i don't know
why both simultaneously
i again don't know
but i suspect her narratives
will tell these stories
will show them wherever
what she's doing goes
03 March 2012
staircase poem 26(b)
01 March 2012
staircase poem 27
door prize draws are done
first one hardest to give away
first mayor then one of last
month’s winners drawn
& both decline the prize
—a profile in chamber
of commerce newsletter
one little girl in here
pulls her dad through
hallways & staircases
again & again walking
& watching everyone
she is very curious
& so great to see
in this sea of adults
this light is such
that i see fingerprints
in the sheen on keys
of the typewriter
probably residue
from the good food
handled & eaten
chamber members
put on winter
coats & depart
in slow dribbles
as a delta
employee wanders
on a quest
for drink glasses
scattered throughout
the building
first one hardest to give away
first mayor then one of last
month’s winners drawn
& both decline the prize
—a profile in chamber
of commerce newsletter
one little girl in here
pulls her dad through
hallways & staircases
again & again walking
& watching everyone
she is very curious
& so great to see
in this sea of adults
this light is such
that i see fingerprints
in the sheen on keys
of the typewriter
probably residue
from the good food
handled & eaten
chamber members
put on winter
coats & depart
in slow dribbles
as a delta
employee wanders
on a quest
for drink glasses
scattered throughout
the building
staircase poem 26
treating well at this after hours
fine live music including a little
jimi cover & piano in the auditorium
a spread of bacon-wrapped scallops
smoked salmon cheese & crackers
barbeque chicken wings meatballs
& breaded shrimp with cocktail sauce
beer wine & spirits in auditorium
so another first for me
& these staircase poems
a beer on the table beside
typewriter & rich food
writing poems of the occasion
let’s celebrate socialising
people wander through the building
into artist studios & out
up staircases & down staircases
around & around for food
& drink & networking—if
that’s their wont—or
seeing friends & colleagues
from around fredericton
unb business students here
art from valley graphics
& many whose name tags
i haven’t been close to read
mayor woodside shook hands
& i’m trying to type
to slower reggae rhythm
bob marley’s no woman no cry
being performed live & intimate
on this small landing with art
fine live music including a little
jimi cover & piano in the auditorium
a spread of bacon-wrapped scallops
smoked salmon cheese & crackers
barbeque chicken wings meatballs
& breaded shrimp with cocktail sauce
beer wine & spirits in auditorium
so another first for me
& these staircase poems
a beer on the table beside
typewriter & rich food
writing poems of the occasion
let’s celebrate socialising
people wander through the building
into artist studios & out
up staircases & down staircases
around & around for food
& drink & networking—if
that’s their wont—or
seeing friends & colleagues
from around fredericton
unb business students here
art from valley graphics
& many whose name tags
i haven’t been close to read
mayor woodside shook hands
& i’m trying to type
to slower reggae rhythm
bob marley’s no woman no cry
being performed live & intimate
on this small landing with art
staircase poem 25
a score & four poems
on the wall rearranged
to make room for more
writings in next two
weeks of this residency
whitefeather says she
needs opera glasses
to read the top row
of poems high
above the floor
work detail arriving
getting ready
delta doing cash bar
in auditorium plus
an artist—photographer
andrew kelly of
sameasforever studio
& there’s a table
of door prizes & richard
gloade esq wondering
about positioning
for himself & conga player
chamber staff with registration
materials & a fishbowl
to collect business cards
is set up in foyer downstairs
leader of nb ndp wears
liberal red tie—why?
time for a soundcheck
just before showtime
me on keys unexpected
third in musical trio
providing musical entertainment
for other fredericton businesspeople
gathering here with curiosity
many people’s first time
in charlotte street arts centre
on the wall rearranged
to make room for more
writings in next two
weeks of this residency
whitefeather says she
needs opera glasses
to read the top row
of poems high
above the floor
work detail arriving
getting ready
delta doing cash bar
in auditorium plus
an artist—photographer
andrew kelly of
sameasforever studio
& there’s a table
of door prizes & richard
gloade esq wondering
about positioning
for himself & conga player
chamber staff with registration
materials & a fishbowl
to collect business cards
is set up in foyer downstairs
leader of nb ndp wears
liberal red tie—why?
time for a soundcheck
just before showtime
me on keys unexpected
third in musical trio
providing musical entertainment
for other fredericton businesspeople
gathering here with curiosity
many people’s first time
in charlotte street arts centre
staircase poem 24
this water buffalo or ox
with metal his element
has blades for a surname
& two taurus parents
three careers suggested
surgeon equals editor
general equals union president
hairdresser might stretch
to artist without
haircuts in a score
of years :)
remember a joke horoscope
saying virgos make
good bus drivers
—don’t want to go there
is believing in astrology
& fortunetelling of any sort
—palms bones tarot cards
turkish coffee grounds—
also a belief in fate
destiny predetermined
with metal his element
has blades for a surname
& two taurus parents
three careers suggested
surgeon equals editor
general equals union president
hairdresser might stretch
to artist without
haircuts in a score
of years :)
remember a joke horoscope
saying virgos make
good bus drivers
—don’t want to go there
is believing in astrology
& fortunetelling of any sort
—palms bones tarot cards
turkish coffee grounds—
also a belief in fate
destiny predetermined
staircase poem 23
had wanted to be here
yesterday to write
leap forward! staircase
poem but i was too
flat out in prep
noontime general
meeting i chaired
was working on
union dime union time
staircase poems skipped
or leaped over leap year
day a missed opportunity
but after radio apb
—ashes paper & beans—
i emceed first ever
world poetry movement
in fredericton
a leap forward! event
in spanish german &
english in alden nowlan
house windsor castle bar
guess i was on union time
at noon today & noon tomorrow
too with organizing team
meeing in ugsw union office
& a picket planned for 4 pm
& more pickets 10 to noon
saturday & sunday at the 'port
entrances off the road in
between fredericton lincoln
& oromocto base gagetown
—union picket fence—
was there last friday
morn before dawn
was first on the scene
before any 60601 members
coals in the barrel fire
glowing from day before
joined by nurses fredericton
firefighters cupe education
saint john airport workers
& mark from halifax as anna
yesterday to write
leap forward! staircase
poem but i was too
flat out in prep
noontime general
meeting i chaired
was working on
union dime union time
staircase poems skipped
or leaped over leap year
day a missed opportunity
but after radio apb
—ashes paper & beans—
i emceed first ever
world poetry movement
in fredericton
a leap forward! event
in spanish german &
english in alden nowlan
house windsor castle bar
guess i was on union time
at noon today & noon tomorrow
too with organizing team
meeing in ugsw union office
& a picket planned for 4 pm
& more pickets 10 to noon
saturday & sunday at the 'port
entrances off the road in
between fredericton lincoln
& oromocto base gagetown
—union picket fence—
was there last friday
morn before dawn
was first on the scene
before any 60601 members
coals in the barrel fire
glowing from day before
joined by nurses fredericton
firefighters cupe education
saint john airport workers
& mark from halifax as anna
staircase poem 22
just in from standing together
for our public services rally
in front of service canada office
630 queen street fredericton
me holding one end
of a psac-afpc banner
dave shaw has in his truck
—many photos taken
thursday afternoon baby
bunheads lively downstairs
in pastel pink green & blues
there's busy all around charlotte
street arts centre—reception
prep—fredericton business after hours
(chamber of commerce peeps
in stairwells & auditoriums)
pilates named after a person
my new knowledge for today
& joseph calls it contrology
this stretching of simile
arm leg & side like a tree
in wind or a salmon leaping
up falls on the humber river
above corner brook newfoundland
littles too little for bunhead
class want to climb the dark
wood steps because they are
here & they know steps
& stairs lead somewhere
& on my stage i'm to be
joined by richard gloade esq
singing & playing guitar
for our public services rally
in front of service canada office
630 queen street fredericton
me holding one end
of a psac-afpc banner
dave shaw has in his truck
—many photos taken
thursday afternoon baby
bunheads lively downstairs
in pastel pink green & blues
there's busy all around charlotte
street arts centre—reception
prep—fredericton business after hours
(chamber of commerce peeps
in stairwells & auditoriums)
pilates named after a person
my new knowledge for today
& joseph calls it contrology
this stretching of simile
arm leg & side like a tree
in wind or a salmon leaping
up falls on the humber river
above corner brook newfoundland
littles too little for bunhead
class want to climb the dark
wood steps because they are
here & they know steps
& stairs lead somewhere
& on my stage i'm to be
joined by richard gloade esq
singing & playing guitar
29 February 2012
Ashes, Paper & Beans: 29 Feb 2012
Ashes, Paper & Beans: Host: Joe Blades. CHSR 97.9 FM, http://www.chsrfm.ca/ Fredericton, NB.
Richard Lemm & Jo Griffith reading at Odd Sundays at Molly's, 20 Nov 2011.
Richard Lemm & Jo Griffith reading at Odd Sundays at Molly's, 20 Nov 2011.
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