Missing the poetry and the poets

Healing Earthquakes...probably my favorite works of Jimmy Santiago Baca. Please take time to listen to the first or last ten minutes or so when you have time...it's Baca reading a portion in the first ten minutes from Healing Earthquakes which I posted back in September or in the last ten minutes, the piece titled 'Healing Earthquakes".

After that bookstore meeting, I couldn't help but write about the experience and decided to post it on my MYSPACE blog...one of my pieces, I believe that was inspired.

Working in juvenile detention I used to be surrounded by poetry and poets - often silent and waiting...for eruption, for expression, or immersed in words of truth and pain and intimacy that allows one to make an attempt to live, to reach in and then out, to heal, to be understood. I believe this poem below does just that. Thank you Rene Aguiluz for this verbal interpretation of Baca's "Who Knows Me But Me".

Vestiges of Fall fading fast...

Yes! Yesterday Omaha, Nebraska

received the first snow of this winter season!

So this is me...just reminiscing

about what's soon to be a distant memory.

Pumpkin carvings extraordinaire!

What my room mates do with their spare time!

Really!! These pumpkin carvings were amazing!

My camera could not do them justice at all!

Placed strategically on the porch Halloween night,

the pumkins delighted the "costume partiers".

I don't usually don't "do Halloween" but I was home alone

and left with explicit instructions by my two room mates

to "pass out the candy!"

So I did as I was told, since they weren't yet home

(...conveniently, or so I thought).

What amazed me was that I heard only one

"costumed character" utter the words "trick or treat".

I'm thinking that "trick or treat" is out

and just "being cute or scary-seen but speechless" must be in.

Things that make you go hmmm..

.-in more ways than one!

-pic off A Zombie Daily

It's amazing what people (alive or dead)

will find to do with their spare time.

According to my brother, OJ...I guess Utica was visited by

a lone zombie on Halloween

walking the streets after dark,

witnessed by many, scared the heck out of some.

(Identity still unknown,

but then I'm thinking it's not unusual for zombies

to remain anonymous)

Oooo...CREEPY!

Relocated to where?!? O!

I'm now living in Omaha, Nebraska.

I'll leave the story about why I left Albuquerque for another post.

Occasionally Michelle and I have been able to go for walks together...

whether it's downtown or just in the neighborhood,

the weather's been sensational and ideal for being in the outdoors!

I wondered why Michelle was toting along a bag of crackers.

And here I thought maybe Michelle was just prepared

for a lengthy stroll or hike. Silly me!

Michelle is out of crackers...but this little guy or girl is waiting patiently...

and seems to understand intuitively

the potential power of "making eye contact".

Poor little one!

We both felt bad that we didn't have more to feed em,

they seemed so hungry. But there was so many of them

and well...I guess...didn't Jesus say "the poor will always be with us"?

Whoops! A little larger crowd to dinner than anticipated!

I was amazed at the coloring on these flock...

quite a variety too!

Doing what I do...

enjoying the out of doors!

A path in metro Omaha near Stinson Park

There are various walking paths for the choosing...

This walk is Michelle's favorite...the river walk in downtown Omaha

I've given up the mountains (for now) but not the water...

and that Missouri River is one large body of water.

The River Walk along the Missouri River

Downtown Omaha

Getting used to the time change.

I can't believe it gets dark by 5:30pm now.

It feels so early...for a night owl anyway.

Sights of downtown Omaha - O!

Seasons Quickly Passing

Vestiges of fall

Is winter really just around the corner?

A walk through the park

Little beauty!

Nothing like something white, wet and cold to break a fall reverie!

pic taken Saturday, November 13, 2010

The snow started falling Friday evening about 5:30pm.

First snow this "coming winter" season.

The heavy wet slushy stuff-

perfect for making snowmen, but their lives will be short-lived,

because the snow is melting fast!

I believe I have arrived in a cooler climate!