8-word poem: THE PRE-POST-ELECTION DEPRESSION STORY

What will
We do
Once the
Election's over?

8-word poem: THE CD TITLES MELANGE I

Disaster monkey:
First good
Hassle—
Our control,
Boy.

8-word poem

Guess
I just
Wasn't timed
For these
Maids.

8-word poem: THE NOVEMBER 4TH IS COMING STORY

To the
Undecided:
Are you
Fucking
Kidding
Me?

Slipshod Sonnet #20

I can wait I wasn't built
for goodbyes most of us
aren't it seems bad patch
back there she wore a faded
handshake with scarlet
jingles compliments of the
house where everything was
cake except for the chicken
farmer incident alas that's
the name of some tune I'm
sure they whistle it some-
where now it's safe to open
that letter from her estate
it says mommy left shit.

8-word poem

If you have
Something
Good,
Better
Make sure.

8-word poem

Is it
Possible
Wayfarers
Have not
Aged well?

8-word poem: THE SARAH PALIN CAN RUIN ANYTHING STORY

The word
Zamboni
Will never
Be the same.

8-word poem

A touch
Of evil
Goes a
Long way.

8-word poem: THE IT CAN'T HAPPEN AGAIN STORY

Last night
I dreamed about
Another stolen
Election.

8-word poem

Transgressions,
Digressions,
Group therapy
Sessions—
Learned my
Lessons.

8-word poem

Some days
It's worth it.
Most days,
Actually.

8-word poem

Blaming it all
On the nights
On Broadway.

HE MUST NOW GET ON WITH HIS LIFE WHETHER HE LIKES IT OR NOT

Oops

8-word poem

Life
Is a shame,
Especially when
It's good.

iTuneage - recent baker's dozen

1. "The Mystery Song" - Steve Lacy with Don Cherry
2. "Caroline Says 1" - Lou Reed
3. "They Can't Make Her Cry" - Nat "King" Cole
4. "A Girl In Trouble (Is A Temporary Thing)" - Romeo Void
5. "The Carnival Is Over" - The Seekers
6. "Here Comes The Sun" - The Plastic Pals
7. "Like A Rolling Stone" - Jimi Hendrix
8. "Little Willy" - Sweet
9. "Straw Dog" - Last Exit
10. "I Found A Reason" - The Velvet Underground
11. "Crosscut Saw" - Hindu Love Gods
12. "Hitchin' A Ride" - Vanity Fare
13. "Boy With A Coin" - Iron & Wine

8-word poems: THE THIRD PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE TRIPTYCH

Where's
Joe the Plumber
When we need
Him?

* * *

We can use
A bresh
Of freth air.

* * *

All aboard
The train wreck
To Warshington, D.C.

Slipshod Sonnet #19

What does 66 feel like and
which hair shirt has the
nicest lining? The stars
are staying in tonight if
the reports can be trusted.
Decent seems better than
doesn't. The time of your
life, well that's debatable
isn't it? Carbo-loading in the
great beyond on old slights
and new desires: I can't
think of a better way to
waste my life, nor a finer
place in which to do such.

DEAR EVERYBODY IS EVERYBODY'S LIFE STORY

I mentioned writer Michael Kimball back when he did such a great job penning my life story on a postcard.

Michael's most recent novel, Dear Everybody, is getting wonderful reviews. It is a book that is both hilarious and heart-wrenching (frequently simultaneously) and deserves the considerable acclaim it is receiving.

The book is composed of letters of apology (supplemented with diary entries, miscellaneous written fragments, sundry pieces of documentation, etc.) to nearly everyone the protagonist has known during the course of his life. Presenting his character's story in piecemeal fashion, Michael seems to have written a book about life itself, everbody's life, in glaring focus: the good, the bad, and the sad.

The Dear Everybody book tour recently brought Michael to New York City for readings at the Arrow Bar (pictured above; Michael at left with yours truly) last month and this past Sunday evening at KGB Bar on E. 6th Street.

On October 22nd Michael will be back in New York, this time in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, to read new work at WORD. Don't miss it!

8-word poem

There I go
Again,
Playing the fool
Again.

8-word poem

This much
Is true:
Things can
Always
Deteriorate.

8-word poem: THE ONCE A MAVERICK ALWAYS A MAVERICK STORY

"My friends,
That fear
I instilled?
Forget that."

8-word poem

Sometimes
The sound
Of nothing
Is sweet
Music.

8-word poem: THE ACE COMB STORY

Shame on
Newsweek!
Palin has
Enough
Facial hair.

8-word poem: THE WHO NEEDS ENEMIES STORY

John McCain
Sure has
A lot of
Friends.

Now I Can Die In Peace: Steve Caratzas is Number 1!

Er, in Issue 1, actually.

As reported by Ron Silliman here, and in blogs from as far away as Italy(!), I have been anthologized!

Along with about a jillion others (some poets, some who knows?) in a completely bizarre 3,785-page PDF collection.

Being a hopelessly self-involved attention whore, I could care less that I actually didn't write the poem attributed to me. In case you don't care to slog through the PDF looking for it (I'm on page 992, ahem) - and it isn't half bad! - I present my poem here:

Like a future

Placed
Reach
A lighted intended

Like an individual
A set of persons
Of past
A future
A set of bands

The unlit couples
An expedition of piles
Like a set
Like a match

A sort of aspiration

A carrier
Oblivion written with wilderness

In fact, I think I will claim ownership of the thing post haste. Why not? I've actually been trying to break out of the self-imposed limitations of my 8-word poems (fear not, I doubt I'll eveer truly get them out of my system) and my spliced together from conversations overheard/snippets recently read/nonsense half-remembered/inscrutable thoughts I wish I could forget routines.

Well, this poem - I have no idea who wrote it, or if it was even "written" - could be my springboard to that next voice.

Or not.

Why not?

8-word poem

Life is
A series of
Hellos
And goodbyes.

8-word poem

The shape of
The best of
Lonely karma.

8-word poem

Let it go;
Hopefully
It will stay
Gone.

8-word poem

Another politician
Who can't
Pronounce the word
"Nuclear"?

8-word poem: THE CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS SHIT STORY

Sarah Palin
Just declared war
On Russian dressing!