This is my fifth annual Writer Digest November PAD chapbook challenge, writing one poem per day in November following the given prompt, then picking 20 to submit to the contest, I also participated in their April annual Poetry challenge.
This is a shout-out to all the Americans who answered the call to serve in the Peace Corps. As some of you know I served in Gapyeong, Korea from 1979 to 1981 working as a tuberculous control worker in a rural health center. Serving in the Peace Corps changed my life in so many ways. It led to a life-long fascination with South Korea, including becoming reasonably fluent in the language, meeting and marrying my wife whom I met after my service ended, and a MA degree in Korean studies from the University of Washington in 1986. It also led me to join the Foreign Service and serve in the Embassy from 1991 to 1993 and serving on the Korea desk from 1994 to 1996.
Before joining the State Department I taught ESL for the US Army, for the Korean Consolidated Administration school, and later at Kyunghee University for three years and Government and Asian Studies for the University of Maryland in Korea.
Title:The Last Volunteer: Dispatches from the Disbanded Peace Corps
Tone: Satirical, reflective, dystopian Style: Blog-style narrative with historical and personal interjections
Structure:
Title:The Last Volunteer: Dispatches from the Disbanded Peace Corps
In 1980, I served in the Peace Corps working in a public health center as a tuberculous control worker in Gapyeong, a small town in the mountains two hours from Seoul. I shared kimchi recipes with elders, learned the art of bowing without bruising my pride, and discovered that diplomacy often begins with a shared meal.
We were told we were ambassadors of peace.
Now, apparently, we were just wasting taxpayer money.
Chapter 2: The Decree
It came on a Tuesday. Trump stood at a golden podium flanked by ICE agents and a bald eagle wearing aviators.
“The Peace Corps is hereby disbanded,” he declared. “We don’t need volunteers spreading peace. We need patriots sealing borders.”
The budget was rescinded. Volunteers were ordered home. The Peace Corps website redirected to a recruitment page for ICE.
Chapter 3: The Fallout
Returned volunteers were stripped of their federal hiring preference. One was reportedly escorted out of a USDA interview for wearing a tie-dye shirt and quoting Mandela.
Peace Corps offices were converted into detention intake centers. The slogan “Life is calling” was replaced with “Compliance is mandatory.”
My old training center in Korea? Rumor has it it’s now a drone calibration site.
Chapter 4: The Broader Purge
The Presidential Management Fellows program was canceled next. “We don’t need managers,” Trump said. “We need enforcers.”
The State Department announced it would no longer publish annual human rights reports. “We prefer vibes-based diplomacy,” said the new Undersecretary for Global Branding.
The U.S. withdrew from the International Labour Organization. All ILO conventions were declared null and void. Labor rights, it seems, were too socialist.
Chapter 5: Toronto Rising
Late-night comics were fired. Journalists silenced. And somewhere in the chaos, Toronto became the new capital of dissent.
Former Peace Corps volunteers, comedians, and exiled diplomats now broadcast nightly from a converted Tim Hortons.
Their motto: Still serving—just not sanctioned.
Chapter 6: The Last Volunteer
I served in Korea from 1979 to 1981. We believed in bridges, not walls. We believed that service could change the world.
I still do.
Even if the bridge now leads north to Toronto.
Author’s Note:
This piece is satire. But the memories are real. And so is the fear that idealism is being erased, one program at a time.
If you served, if you dreamed, if you still believe—keep writing. Keep resisting.
Peace isn’t dead. It’s just been defunded.
Along the way, Korea changed so much and is not the country I first learned to love back in 1979. Here are a few of my poetic reflections, followed by additional information on the Peace Corps and my letters to my Congressmen and Senators and the Peace Corps director expressing my frustration over the possibility that the Peace Corps could soon join USAID on the chopping block. I will post any responses I might receive.
Korean Poems
author at a Korean temple 1980?
Korea travels
I first came to Korea in 1979
in the Peace Corps
Stayed in the rural countryside
in the town of Gapeyong
where I worked
in a rural health care center
Where I was one of four non-Koreans
Had to speak Korean to survive
Stayed on in a variety of jobs
Including diplomatic service
I last lived there in 1993.
Non-Korean food was hard to get
Outside of the GI ghettos
English speakers were few
And the country was not foreign-friendly
There were few foreign residents
Most American service members
Some missionary types
Diplomatic corps
A few English teachers
A few ex-pat business people
Most women quit after marriage
As it was a male-dominated society
In the rural countryside
No one knew a woman’s name
They were referred
to as so and so “mom”
Or so and so wife,
Or the generic aunt,
or grandmother
Public transit was just getting going
But traffic was not too bad
Few people could afford cars
Back then the old Korea was still there
And it was a very different place and time
Going through the transition
to the country, it has become
Today’s Korea is a very different place
The rural countryside is deserted
Wilderness areas are coming back
Even wildlife is coming back
In the mountain outback regions
50 percent of the public
Live in the Seoul metro area
Including Kyeongi province
And Incheon city where I reside.
Public transit is among the best
In the world.
Internet fast and cheap
Everywhere connected
Highways are decent but overcrowded
The KTX train is fast and convenient
The Incheon airport one of the best
The choices for food are much better
Used to be it was almost impossible
To find non-Korean food
Outside the GI ghetto towns.
Now it is everywhere
Even saw a Mexican restaurant
In a suburban Busan neighborhood.
In the end
Koreans should be proud
Of all that they have accomplished.
I remain optimistic
That someday the two Koreans
Will become one again
And that they will continue
To advance and grow
But the essence of Korea will remain
Waiting for Korean Springtime
poet Hill Korea
The world peace forest
Stretches five miles
Through a delightful forest
Including a nice lotus pound
A winter watering hole for birds
And a small mountain
I welcome the advent of spring
The cherry trees snowing
The Tulips and roses blooming
After a cold sometimes hard winter
Especially during the COVID pandemic
Which kept so many people
Trapped indoors
As I walk the path
With the love of my life
By my side
Enjoying another springtime
Filled with love and affection
That is why I love Korean springtime.
19 lines
Pastoral free verse
Life in a Korean village
I am living in a Korean village as an exchange student. One day my host family asks me to go to the local health center to tell them to change the father’s medicine, and give me a note, the old medicine, and instructions. I am a little apprehensive, but they told me that was fine since the dragon who controlled the village had approved the request already. I smiled I had met the dragon who seemed to like me which made things in the village go much better. The daughter is cute.
The Peace Corps changed my life Not in the obvious ways That it did
I learned a new language A new culture Met many different people Did some constructive development work
And contributed to friendship Between Koreans and the US
All the usual things that Peace Corps Is supposed to accomplish
But the Peace Corps changed me And I became the man I am now
Because of those two years I spend in the countryside Of South Korea
I went to graduate school I became a diplomat
But most importantly If I had not gone to the Korean peace corps program I never would have met the girl of my dreams The women I was fated to meet
I first met Angela in 1974 When I was in high school
And fell asleep in a class And had the dream that haunted me To this day
In the dream I met a beautiful Asian women Who was speaking to me In a weird language
And then she disappeared Like in Star Trek
And I fell on the floor
“Screaming You are you?”
I continued to have these visions Every month for seven years
I eventually learned
that she was in Korea And so I joined the Peace Corps
to go to Korea To find her
After I finished Peace Corps I stuck around for another year
Thinking I would find her But never did
Just when I was
due to return to the US To go to Graduate school I had the final dream
In this dream She said in Korean
“Don’t worry
you will meet me soon.”
That night getting off the bus In front of me Was the girl in the dream
I looked at her And I knew she was it
And she looked at me And knew I was it
We met up for coffee And we dated
I proposed to her
three days after I met her
And then we married Two months later
Despite her family’s attempts To keep us apart
And we have been
married 43 years And I fall in love with her Over and over again
And I still have the dream When I am alone Or when I am stressed out
I see her standing by the bed Smiling at me
Saying Everything will be alright And it is
and so thinking back on my life My life changed forever
When I left the US To join the Peace Corps
Long Live the Peace Corps
this is a true story of the love of my life. I met her in 1982 when I was teaching in Korea after having finished my Peace Corps service in 1981. We got married two months after we met and have been married 33 years. I still recall the dreams of how I would met her from time to time.
I always thought this would make a great love story movie., perhaps a K Drama?
About 30 years ago, American-style coffee chains Discovered Korea. After the 88 Olympics, Koreans discovered the joy Of real brewed coffee, Hot, Sweet, Neat The rest is history.
hot humid weather in Korea, outside like walking in a sauna.
Most people don’t use air conditioning due to both expenses, fear of air conditioning disease (Which is a real thing).
hanging out at a coffee shop or mall discouraged as COVID continues to spread. Only two people can dine out at night
over 2, 00 cases a day now only 20 percent are fully vaccinated.
temperatures will hit 40 degrees (100 + f) later this week as the monsoon season ends and the August heat begins.
Koreans are learning new words to describe this
heat dome tropical nights Polar vortex Monster typhoons Killing floods Killing heat waves are now common.
used to be that July and August were hot and humid but rarely about 100 dF. Now that is becoming the norm, as global climate change begins hitting Korea hard.
the winters are colder but much shorter. Late January to early February Polar Vortex swept through
the summer is longer starting in May and lasting until mid-September.
Autumn is lasting from Mid-September to Mid-December. Spring just late April to early June
So far no killer wildfires. As the monsoon season Came on time Monson flooding Just before the killer heatwaves
the prompt was to write about the local weather Korea is experiencing a heat dome highs in the 90’s (40 C) real feel close to 100 F, with tropical nights in the 80s F. No relief in sight until late august, the second hottest summer in Korea so far but it will probably break the record heat
When Sam Adams first met her The lady of his dreams
There was as the Koreans Would say
Spark from heart to heart 이심촌심 isimchonsim
truly love at first sight 첫눈에 반하다 cheosnun-e banhada
they both knew that it is just fate
운명 unyoung
that they had met that date.
Two months later They were married It all happened 40 years ago
48 years after She first came To him in his dreams.
the prompt was to incorporate foreign words into a poem I chose Korean which is my best foreign language as I have been struggling to learn it for 43 years
May 18, 2021Venice in Korea “Venice in Korea and other Korean Stream Bed Parks ARA Canal Incheon Over the last decade, Korea has build hundreds of stream bed parks throughout Seoul and Korea. There are great… Jake Cosmos Aller — Venice in Korea. 1.5M ratings 277k ratings See, that’s what the app is perfect for. Sounds perfect Wahhhh, I don’t …
Jun 3, 2021I have reached three milestones. the World According to Cosmos now has over 4,000 followers from around the world. Thanks to all of you for visiting my site and caring about my musings about Life, the Universe and everything. Second, I have not posted 264 posts over the last few years since I started this blog late in 2019.
Jul 2, 2022Korean Summer Haiku by jake cosmos aller. General Poetry posted July 2, 2022. jake cosmos aller. Retired US Diplomat (State Department) living in South Korea. Served 27 years in 10 countries. Traveled to 55 countries, all 50 states. Grew up in Berkeley, California. Married, no children.
May 20, 2022jake cosmos aller Retired US Diplomat (State Department) living in South Korea. Served 27 years in 10 countries. Traveled to 55 countries, all 50 states. Grew up in Berkeley, California. Married, no children. A published poet, and short story writer. Finished six nove – more…
Jul 20, 2022by jake cosmos aller. Corners of the world. In 1979-1981. Than my own. I learned to speak Korean. In a town that was in the countryside. Of Seoul or the nearby city of Chuncheon. And foreign agricultural workers as well. Than when I lived there over 43 years ago.
Yeongjongdo Redevelopment Proposals ” Yeongjongdo redevelopment proposals bike rail trail in Yeongjongdo The Korean government has ambitious plans for developing Youngjongdo where I live. Here are my… Jake Cosmos Aller — Yeongjongdo Redevelopment Proposals. 1.5M ratings 277k ratings See, that’s what the app is perfect for. …
Jul 17, 2022Food Imperalism by jake cosmos aller. Biographical Fiction posted July 17, 2022. Retired US Diplomat (State Department) living in South Korea. Served 27 years in 10 countries. Traveled to 55 countries, all 50 states. Grew up in Berkeley, California. Married, no children.
Venice in Korea WHERE TO LISTEN to the World According to Cosmos breaker audio Google podcasts radio public Spotify Korea Radio public c: on PocketCasts: Visit to Gangwha Ginseng Market We…
Jun 3, 2021I have reached three milestones. the World According to Cosmos now has over 4,000 followers from around the world. Thanks to all of you for visiting my site and caring about my musings about Life, the Universe and everything. Second, I have not posted 264 posts over the last few years since I started this blog late in 2019.
Jun 8, 2021Update: Korean River/Stream Bed Parks ARA Canal Incheon Updated letter to NPS and updated photos for Cheongjecheon streambed park. Letter to National Parks Director, Minister of Tourism, and KT One of the little-known gems of Korean tourism is all the great river parks and stream bed parks throughout Korea.
Venice in Korea WHERE TO LISTEN to the World According to Cosmos breaker audio Google podcasts radio public Spotify Korea Radio public c: on PocketCasts: Visit to Gangwha Ginseng Market We…
The Korean government has acknowledged these strong ties by hosting several reunions over the years. Last month, about 80 returned Volunteers and family members traveled to Seoul, South Korea, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps arrival in the country. We were there to attend the opening of an exhibit on the Peace Corps at the …
Peace Corps opened its program in Korea in 1966, and more than 2,000 Peace Corps volunteers served there before operations closed in 1981. Since 2008, the Republic of Korea has recognized the service of Peace Corps/Korea volunteers by hosting return trips for many former volunteers so they can again visit the country. Peace Corps and KOICA …
Peace Corps/Korea brought over 2,000 Americans to serve in Korea’s classrooms, farms, and industry. From 1966-1981, the assistance provided by these Volunteers, at a critical period in Korean history, helped to cement U.S.Korea ties. Kevin O’Donnell, the first country director of Peace Corps/Korea, and fourth director of the Peace Corps will …
Peace Corps Volunteers serve in over 60 countries. Find your place in the world. … South Korea 1966-1981 2,060 Volunteers Served Caribbean. The Dominican Republic. 1962-present 13 Volunteers …
It was, as the Peace Corps ad says, “The toughest job you will ever love.” When I left Korea in the mid-70s I was certain I would never see it again. As the years passed, the recollections of my life in Korea crystallized into increasingly romanticized memories. They became nearer and dearer to me in my life’s side-view mirror.
About Friends of Korea. Friends of Korea was founded in 2002 by former Peace Corps volunteers who served in the Republic of Korea between 1966 and 1981. Since Peace Corps ended its program in Korea in 1981, the challenge for Friends of Korea has been to find a mission. Over the past several years we have been engaged in a series of …
Oct 21, 2020Oct 21 2020. 1. by James Mayer (Korea 1978-81) The Korea Times. Friends of Korea. Peace Corps volunteers and others hold a walk-a-thon to raise funds for heart surgery in 1981. / Courtesy of Nancy Kelly. No one likes to be last. But I had that distinction as the Peace Corps Korea country director, and I am forever grateful that it happened.
Connect With the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps. We are inspired by hands-on, grassroots-driven, and lasting impact. Learn more about our mission. In a changing world, building a better future together. New Opportunities Now Available. Dozens of new Volunteering openings are live on our site.
Peace Corps Volunteers and the Making of Korean Studies in the United States. Edited by Seung-Kyung Kim and Michael Robinson. Center for Korea Studies, University of Washington. Reviewed by Steven Boyd Saum . The Peace Corps sent more than 2,000 Volunteers to South Korea 1966-81, to teach English and advise on healthcare.
Mention you’re with the Korea Peace Corps Reunion. Dan Strickland (K-18; danstrickland2001@yahoo.com) is our reunion point person and is available to answer questions or make suggestions. Let us know you’re coming by sending Dan an email with your name(s), your Korean name, K-group #, and check-in/out dates.
🗳️ Congressional Representative for Medford, Oregon
Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-2)
District Office:
14 N Central Ave., Suite 112
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 776-4646
Washington, D.C. Office:
409 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6730
Website
🏛️ U.S. Senators from Oregon
Sen. Jeff Merkley
Medford Office:
10 South Bartlett Street, Suite 201
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 608-9102
Washington, D.C. Office:
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3753
Website
Sen. Ron Wyden
Medford Office:
310 West 6th St., Room 118
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 858-5122
Washington, D.C. Office:
221 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5244
Website
🌐 Director of the Peace Corps
Carol Spahn
Peace Corps Headquarters:
1275 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20526
Phone: (855) 855-1961
Director’s Bio
Peace Corps Contact Page
Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-2)
District Office:
14 N Central Ave., Suite 112
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 776-4646
Washington, D.C. Office:
409 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6730
Website
🏛️ U.S. Senators from Oregon
Sen. Jeff Merkley
Medford Office:
10 South Bartlett Street, Suite 201
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 608-9102
Washington, D.C. Office:
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3753
Website
Sen. Ron Wyden
Medford Office:
310 West 6th St., Room 118
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 858-5122
Washington, D.C. Office:
221 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5244
Website
🌐 Director of the Peace Corps
Carol Spahn
Peace Corps Headquarters:
1275 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20526
Phone: (855) 855-1961
Dear Cliff Bentz
Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-2)
District Office:
14 N Central Ave., Suite 112
Medford, OR 97501
I am writing as a proud Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Gapyeong, South Korea from 1979 to 1981, working in a rural health center as a tuberculosis control worker. My time in the Peace Corps shaped not only my worldview but also the trajectory of my life. It led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Korean Studies and ultimately serve 27 years in the U.S. Foreign Service before retiring in 2016.
Today, I spend part of the year in South Korea, maintaining the personal and professional ties that were forged through public service and people-to-people diplomacy. I can attest firsthand to the long-lasting goodwill, cultural understanding, and strategic partnerships that Peace Corps volunteers generate. The Peace Corps is not simply a volunteer program—it is a cornerstone of American soft power and one of the most effective tools of diplomacy we’ve ever known.
I urge you, in the strongest terms, to oppose any efforts to dismantle, defund, or diminish the Peace Corps. As geopolitical tensions rise, especially in Asia, it is more crucial than ever to maintain programs that build bridges, not walls.
Please support robust funding for the Peace Corps, protect its independence, and preserve its legacy. The future of diplomacy begins in villages, classrooms, and clinics—not just embassies.
The Korean government has acknowledged these strong ties by hosting several reunions over the years. Last month, about 80 returned Volunteers and family members traveled to Seoul, South Korea, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps arrival in the country. We were there to attend the opening of an exhibit on the Peace Corps at the …
Peace Corps opened its program in Korea in 1966, and more than 2,000 Peace Corps volunteers served there before operations closed in 1981. Since 2008, the Republic of Korea has recognized the service of Peace Corps/Korea volunteers by hosting return trips for many former volunteers so they can again visit the country. Peace Corps and KOICA …
Peace Corps/Korea brought over 2,000 Americans to serve in Korea’s classrooms, farms, and industry. From 1966-1981, the assistance provided by these Volunteers, at a critical period in Korean history, helped to cement U.S.Korea ties. Kevin O’Donnell, the first country director of Peace Corps/Korea, and fourth director of the Peace Corps will …
Peace Corps Volunteers serve in over 60 countries. Find your place in the world. … South Korea 1966-1981 2,060 Volunteers Served Caribbean. The Dominican Republic. 1962-present 13 Volunteers …
It was, as the Peace Corps ad says, “The toughest job you will ever love.” When I left Korea in the mid-70s I was certain I would never see it again. As the years passed, the recollections of my life in Korea crystallized into increasingly romanticized memories. They became nearer and dearer to me in my life’s side-view mirror.
About Friends of Korea. Friends of Korea was founded in 2002 by former Peace Corps volunteers who served in the Republic of Korea between 1966 and 1981. Since Peace Corps ended its program in Korea in 1981, the challenge for Friends of Korea has been to find a mission. Over the past several years we have been engaged in a series of …
Oct 21, 2020Oct 21 2020. 1. by James Mayer (Korea 1978-81) The Korea Times. Friends of Korea. Peace Corps volunteers and others hold a walk-a-thon to raise funds for heart surgery in 1981. / Courtesy of Nancy Kelly. No one likes to be last. But I had that distinction as the Peace Corps Korea country director, and I am forever grateful that it happened.
Connect With the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps. We are inspired by hands-on, grassroots-driven, and lasting impact. Learn more about our mission. In a changing world, building a better future together. New Opportunities Now Available. Dozens of new Volunteering openings are live on our site.
Peace Corps Volunteers and the Making of Korean Studies in the United States. Edited by Seung-Kyung Kim and Michael Robinson. Center for Korea Studies, University of Washington. Reviewed by Steven Boyd Saum . The Peace Corps sent more than 2,000 Volunteers to South Korea 1966-81, to teach English and advise on healthcare.
Mention you’re with the Korea Peace Corps Reunion. Dan Strickland (K-18; danstrickland2001@yahoo.com) is our reunion point person and is available to answer questions or make suggestions. Let us know you’re coming by sending Dan an email with your name(s), your Korean name, K-group #, and check-in/out dates.
Here’s the latest on the future of the Peace Corps as of mid-2025, including perspectives from across the political spectrum and a list of countries where volunteers are currently serving.
🌍 Current Status of the Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is facing significant restructuring and budget cuts under the Trump administration. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has recommended deep staff reductions—up to 80% at headquarters and 25% globally—which could shutter some country programs. While the agency insists it will remain operational, many volunteers and applicants are anxious about its viability.
🗞️ Left-Leaning Analysis
The Hill: Reports that the cuts could “cripple” the Peace Corps and undermine decades of goodwill and soft diplomacy. Critics argue this is part of a broader dismantling of America’s international development efforts.
Peace Corps Connect: The National Peace Corps Association warns that reduced staffing and federal hiring freezes threaten volunteer support and training. They’re urging Congress to restore funding and protect the agency’s mission.
Peace Corps Worldwide: Advocates propose transforming the Peace Corps into an NGO or merging it with AmeriCorps to preserve its legacy and adapt to modern global challenges.
📰 Right-Leaning or Neutral Analysis
EconoTimes: Highlights Trump’s plan to expand and modernize the Peace Corps with a $2 billion budget, focusing on strategic regions like Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. The goal is to align volunteer efforts with U.S. foreign policy interests.
Next Gen Business: Notes that while some see the cuts as fiscally responsible, others worry they will weaken U.S. influence abroad. The restructuring is framed as part of a broader government streamlining effort.
The Independent: Covers the DOGE-led downsizing and staff buyouts, noting that some posts may close and that the agency’s soft power role is at risk.
📍 Countries Where Peace Corps Volunteers Are Currently Serving
According to the Peace Corps official site, volunteers are actively serving in over 60 countries. Here are some with open opportunities:
Europe: Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, North Macedonia, Ukraine
Pacific Islands: Palau, Tonga, Vanuatu
Latin America & Caribbean: Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Dominica
Some programs have been paused or closed recently, including those in Mozambique, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Kyrgyz Republic, and South Africa.
This is a shout-out to all the Americans who answered the call to serve in the Peace Corps. As some of you know I served in Gapyeong, Korea from 1979 to 1981 working as a tuberculous control worker in a rural health center. Serving in the Peace Corps changed my life in so many ways. It led to a life-long fascination with South Korea, including becoming reasonably fluent in the language, meeting and marrying my wife whom I met after my service ended, and a MA degree in Korean studies from the University of Washington in 1986. It also led me to join the Foreign Service and serve in the Embassy from 1991 to 1993 and serving on the Korea desk from 1994 to 1996.
Before joining the State Department I taught ESL for the US Army, for the Korean Consolidated Administration school, and later at Kyunghee University for three years and Government and Asian Studies for the University of Maryland in Korea.
Title:The Last Volunteer: Dispatches from the Disbanded Peace Corps
Tone: Satirical, reflective, dystopian Style: Blog-style narrative with historical and personal interjections
Structure:
Title:The Last Volunteer: Dispatches from the Disbanded Peace Corps
In 1980, I served in the Peace Corps working in a public health center as a tuberculous control worker in Gapyeong, a small town in the mountains two hours from Seoul. I shared kimchi recipes with elders, learned the art of bowing without bruising my pride, and discovered that diplomacy often begins with a shared meal.
We were told we were ambassadors of peace.
Now, apparently, we were just wasting taxpayer money.
Chapter 2: The Decree
It came on a Tuesday. Trump stood at a golden podium flanked by ICE agents and a bald eagle wearing aviators.
“The Peace Corps is hereby disbanded,” he declared. “We don’t need volunteers spreading peace. We need patriots sealing borders.”
The budget was rescinded. Volunteers were ordered home. The Peace Corps website redirected to a recruitment page for ICE.
Chapter 3: The Fallout
Returned volunteers were stripped of their federal hiring preference. One was reportedly escorted out of a USDA interview for wearing a tie-dye shirt and quoting Mandela.
Peace Corps offices were converted into detention intake centers. The slogan “Life is calling” was replaced with “Compliance is mandatory.”
My old training center in Korea? Rumor has it it’s now a drone calibration site.
Chapter 4: The Broader Purge
The Presidential Management Fellows program was canceled next. “We don’t need managers,” Trump said. “We need enforcers.”
The State Department announced it would no longer publish annual human rights reports. “We prefer vibes-based diplomacy,” said the new Undersecretary for Global Branding.
The U.S. withdrew from the International Labour Organization. All ILO conventions were declared null and void. Labor rights, it seems, were too socialist.
Chapter 5: Toronto Rising
Late-night comics were fired. Journalists silenced. And somewhere in the chaos, Toronto became the new capital of dissent.
Former Peace Corps volunteers, comedians, and exiled diplomats now broadcast nightly from a converted Tim Hortons.
Their motto: Still serving—just not sanctioned.
Chapter 6: The Last Volunteer
I served in Korea from 1979 to 1981. We believed in bridges, not walls. We believed that service could change the world.
I still do.
Even if the bridge now leads north to Toronto.
Author’s Note:
This piece is satire. But the memories are real. And so is the fear that idealism is being erased, one program at a time.
If you served, if you dreamed, if you still believe—keep writing. Keep resisting.
Peace isn’t dead. It’s just been defunded.
Along the way, Korea changed so much and is not the country I first learned to love back in 1979. Here are a few of my poetic reflections, followed by additional information on the Peace Corps and my letters to my Congressmen and Senators and the Peace Corps director expressing my frustration over the possibility that the Peace Corps could soon join USAID on the chopping block. I will post any responses I might receive.
Korean Poems
author at a Korean temple 1980?
Korea travels
I first came to Korea in 1979
in the Peace Corps
Stayed in the rural countryside
in the town of Gapeyong
where I worked
in a rural health care center
Where I was one of four non-Koreans
Had to speak Korean to survive
Stayed on in a variety of jobs
Including diplomatic service
I last lived there in 1993.
Non-Korean food was hard to get
Outside of the GI ghettos
English speakers were few
And the country was not foreign-friendly
There were few foreign residents
Most American service members
Some missionary types
Diplomatic corps
A few English teachers
A few ex-pat business people
Most women quit after marriage
As it was a male-dominated society
In the rural countryside
No one knew a woman’s name
They were referred
to as so and so “mom”
Or so and so wife,
Or the generic aunt,
or grandmother
Public transit was just getting going
But traffic was not too bad
Few people could afford cars
Back then the old Korea was still there
And it was a very different place and time
Going through the transition
to the country, it has become
Today’s Korea is a very different place
The rural countryside is deserted
Wilderness areas are coming back
Even wildlife is coming back
In the mountain outback regions
50 percent of the public
Live in the Seoul metro area
Including Kyeongi province
And Incheon city where I reside.
Public transit is among the best
In the world.
Internet fast and cheap
Everywhere connected
Highways are decent but overcrowded
The KTX train is fast and convenient
The Incheon airport one of the best
The choices for food are much better
Used to be it was almost impossible
To find non-Korean food
Outside the GI ghetto towns.
Now it is everywhere
Even saw a Mexican restaurant
In a suburban Busan neighborhood.
In the end
Koreans should be proud
Of all that they have accomplished.
I remain optimistic
That someday the two Koreans
Will become one again
And that they will continue
To advance and grow
But the essence of Korea will remain
Waiting for Korean Springtime
poet Hill Korea
The world peace forest
Stretches five miles
Through a delightful forest
Including a nice lotus pound
A winter watering hole for birds
And a small mountain
I welcome the advent of spring
The cherry trees snowing
The Tulips and roses blooming
After a cold sometimes hard winter
Especially during the COVID pandemic
Which kept so many people
Trapped indoors
As I walk the path
With the love of my life
By my side
Enjoying another springtime
Filled with love and affection
That is why I love Korean springtime.
19 lines
Pastoral free verse
Life in a Korean village
I am living in a Korean village as an exchange student. One day my host family asks me to go to the local health center to tell them to change the father’s medicine, and give me a note, the old medicine, and instructions. I am a little apprehensive, but they told me that was fine since the dragon who controlled the village had approved the request already. I smiled I had met the dragon who seemed to like me which made things in the village go much better. The daughter is cute.
The Peace Corps changed my life
Not in the obvious ways
That it did
I learned a new language
A new culture
Met many different people
Did some constructive development work
And contributed to friendship
Between Koreans and the US
All the usual things that Peace Corps
Is supposed to accomplish
But the Peace Corps changed me
And I became the man I am now
Because of those two years
I spend in the countryside
Of South Korea
I went to graduate school
I became a diplomat
But most importantly
If I had not gone to the Korean peace corps program
I never would have met the girl of my dreams
The women I was fated to meet
I first met Angela in 1974
When I was in high school
And fell asleep in a class
And had the dream that haunted me
To this day
In the dream
I met a beautiful Asian women
Who was speaking to me
In a weird language
And then she disappeared
Like in Star Trek
And I fell on the floor
“Screaming
You are you?”
I continued to have these visions
Every month for seven years
I eventually learned
that she was in Korea
And so I joined the Peace Corps
to go to Korea
To find her
After I finished Peace Corps
I stuck around for another year
Thinking I would find her
But never did
Just when I was
due to return to the US
To go to Graduate school
I had the final dream
In this dream
She said in Korean
“Don’t worry
you will meet me soon.”
That night getting off the bus
In front of me
Was the girl in the dream
I looked at her
And I knew she was it
And she looked at me
And knew I was it
We met up for coffee
And we dated
I proposed to her
three days after I met her
And then we married
Two months later
Despite her family’s attempts
To keep us apart
And we have been
married 43 years
And I fall in love with her
Over and over again
And I still have the dream
When I am alone
Or when I am stressed out
I see her standing by the bed
Smiling at me
Saying
Everything will be alright
And it is
and so thinking back on my life
My life changed forever
When I left the US
To join the Peace Corps
Long Live the Peace Corps
this is a true story of the love of my life. I met her in 1982 when I was teaching in Korea after having finished my Peace Corps service in 1981. We got married two months after we met and have been married 33 years. I still recall the dreams of how I would met her from time to time.
I always thought this would make a great love story movie., perhaps a K Drama?
About 30 years ago,
American-style coffee chains
Discovered Korea.
After the 88 Olympics,
Koreans discovered the joy
Of real brewed coffee,
Hot, Sweet, Neat
The rest is history.
hot humid weather in Korea,
outside like walking in a sauna.
Most people don’t use air conditioning
due to both expenses,
fear of air conditioning disease
(Which is a real thing).
hanging out at a coffee shop or mall
discouraged as COVID continues to spread.
Only two people can dine out at night
over 2, 00 cases a day now
only 20 percent are fully vaccinated.
temperatures will hit 40 degrees (100 + f)
later this week
as the monsoon season ends
and the August heat begins.
Koreans are learning
new words to describe this
heat dome
tropical nights
Polar vortex
Monster typhoons
Killing floods
Killing heat waves
are now common.
used to be that July and August
were hot and humid
but rarely about 100 dF.
Now that is becoming the norm,
as global climate change
begins hitting Korea hard.
the winters are colder
but much shorter.
Late January to early February
Polar Vortex swept through
the summer is longer
starting in May
and lasting until mid-September.
Autumn is lasting
from Mid-September
to Mid-December.
Spring just late April to early June
So far no killer wildfires.
As the monsoon season
Came on time
Monson flooding
Just before the killer heatwaves
the prompt was to write about the local weather Korea is experiencing a heat dome highs in the 90’s (40 C) real feel close to 100 F, with tropical nights in the 80s F. No relief in sight until late august, the second hottest summer in Korea so far but it will probably break the record heat
When Sam Adams
first met her
The lady of his dreams
There was as the Koreans
Would say
Spark from heart to heart
이심촌심
isimchonsim
truly love at first sight
첫눈에 반하다
cheosnun-e banhada
they both knew
that it is just fate
운명
unyoung
that they had met
that date.
Two months later
They were married
It all happened
40 years ago
48 years after
She first came
To him in his dreams.
the prompt was to incorporate foreign words into a poem I chose Korean which is my best foreign language as I have been struggling to learn it for 43 years
May 18, 2021Venice in Korea “Venice in Korea and other Korean Stream Bed Parks ARA Canal Incheon Over the last decade, Korea has build hundreds of stream bed parks throughout Seoul and Korea. There are great… Jake Cosmos Aller — Venice in Korea. 1.5M ratings 277k ratings See, that’s what the app is perfect for. Sounds perfect Wahhhh, I don’t …
Jun 3, 2021I have reached three milestones. the World According to Cosmos now has over 4,000 followers from around the world. Thanks to all of you for visiting my site and caring about my musings about Life, the Universe and everything. Second, I have not posted 264 posts over the last few years since I started this blog late in 2019.
Jul 2, 2022Korean Summer Haiku by jake cosmos aller. General Poetry posted July 2, 2022. jake cosmos aller. Retired US Diplomat (State Department) living in South Korea. Served 27 years in 10 countries. Traveled to 55 countries, all 50 states. Grew up in Berkeley, California. Married, no children.
May 20, 2022jake cosmos aller Retired US Diplomat (State Department) living in South Korea. Served 27 years in 10 countries. Traveled to 55 countries, all 50 states. Grew up in Berkeley, California. Married, no children. A published poet, and short story writer. Finished six nove – more…
Jul 20, 2022by jake cosmos aller. Corners of the world. In 1979-1981. Than my own. I learned to speak Korean. In a town that was in the countryside. Of Seoul or the nearby city of Chuncheon. And foreign agricultural workers as well. Than when I lived there over 43 years ago.
Yeongjongdo Redevelopment Proposals ” Yeongjongdo redevelopment proposals bike rail trail in Yeongjongdo The Korean government has ambitious plans for developing Youngjongdo where I live. Here are my… Jake Cosmos Aller — Yeongjongdo Redevelopment Proposals. 1.5M ratings 277k ratings See, that’s what the app is perfect for. …
Jul 17, 2022Food Imperalism by jake cosmos aller. Biographical Fiction posted July 17, 2022. Retired US Diplomat (State Department) living in South Korea. Served 27 years in 10 countries. Traveled to 55 countries, all 50 states. Grew up in Berkeley, California. Married, no children.
Venice in Korea WHERE TO LISTEN to the World According to Cosmos breaker audio Google podcasts radio public Spotify Korea Radio public c: on PocketCasts: Visit to Gangwha Ginseng Market We…
Jun 3, 2021I have reached three milestones. the World According to Cosmos now has over 4,000 followers from around the world. Thanks to all of you for visiting my site and caring about my musings about Life, the Universe and everything. Second, I have not posted 264 posts over the last few years since I started this blog late in 2019.
Jun 8, 2021Update: Korean River/Stream Bed Parks ARA Canal Incheon Updated letter to NPS and updated photos for Cheongjecheon streambed park. Letter to National Parks Director, Minister of Tourism, and KT One of the little-known gems of Korean tourism is all the great river parks and stream bed parks throughout Korea.
Venice in Korea WHERE TO LISTEN to the World According to Cosmos breaker audio Google podcasts radio public Spotify Korea Radio public c: on PocketCasts: Visit to Gangwha Ginseng Market We…
The Korean government has acknowledged these strong ties by hosting several reunions over the years. Last month, about 80 returned Volunteers and family members traveled to Seoul, South Korea, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps arrival in the country. We were there to attend the opening of an exhibit on the Peace Corps at the …
Peace Corps opened its program in Korea in 1966, and more than 2,000 Peace Corps volunteers served there before operations closed in 1981. Since 2008, the Republic of Korea has recognized the service of Peace Corps/Korea volunteers by hosting return trips for many former volunteers so they can again visit the country. Peace Corps and KOICA …
Peace Corps/Korea brought over 2,000 Americans to serve in Korea’s classrooms, farms, and industry. From 1966-1981, the assistance provided by these Volunteers, at a critical period in Korean history, helped to cement U.S.Korea ties. Kevin O’Donnell, the first country director of Peace Corps/Korea, and fourth director of the Peace Corps will …
Peace Corps Volunteers serve in over 60 countries. Find your place in the world. … South Korea 1966-1981 2,060 Volunteers Served Caribbean. The Dominican Republic. 1962-present 13 Volunteers …
It was, as the Peace Corps ad says, “The toughest job you will ever love.” When I left Korea in the mid-70s I was certain I would never see it again. As the years passed, the recollections of my life in Korea crystallized into increasingly romanticized memories. They became nearer and dearer to me in my life’s side-view mirror.
About Friends of Korea. Friends of Korea was founded in 2002 by former Peace Corps volunteers who served in the Republic of Korea between 1966 and 1981. Since Peace Corps ended its program in Korea in 1981, the challenge for Friends of Korea has been to find a mission. Over the past several years we have been engaged in a series of …
Oct 21, 2020Oct 21 2020. 1. by James Mayer (Korea 1978-81) The Korea Times. Friends of Korea. Peace Corps volunteers and others hold a walk-a-thon to raise funds for heart surgery in 1981. / Courtesy of Nancy Kelly. No one likes to be last. But I had that distinction as the Peace Corps Korea country director, and I am forever grateful that it happened.
Connect With the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps. We are inspired by hands-on, grassroots-driven, and lasting impact. Learn more about our mission. In a changing world, building a better future together. New Opportunities Now Available. Dozens of new Volunteering openings are live on our site.
Peace Corps Volunteers and the Making of Korean Studies in the United States. Edited by Seung-Kyung Kim and Michael Robinson. Center for Korea Studies, University of Washington. Reviewed by Steven Boyd Saum . The Peace Corps sent more than 2,000 Volunteers to South Korea 1966-81, to teach English and advise on healthcare.
Mention you’re with the Korea Peace Corps Reunion. Dan Strickland (K-18; danstrickland2001@yahoo.com) is our reunion point person and is available to answer questions or make suggestions. Let us know you’re coming by sending Dan an email with your name(s), your Korean name, K-group #, and check-in/out dates.
🗳️ Congressional Representative for Medford, Oregon
Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-2)
District Office:
14 N Central Ave., Suite 112
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 776-4646
Washington, D.C. Office:
409 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6730
Website
🏛️ U.S. Senators from Oregon
Sen. Jeff Merkley
Medford Office:
10 South Bartlett Street, Suite 201
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 608-9102
Washington, D.C. Office:
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3753
Website
Sen. Ron Wyden
Medford Office:
310 West 6th St., Room 118
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 858-5122
Washington, D.C. Office:
221 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5244
Website
🌐 Director of the Peace Corps
Carol Spahn
Peace Corps Headquarters:
1275 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20526
Phone: (855) 855-1961
Director’s Bio
Peace Corps Contact Page
Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-2)
District Office:
14 N Central Ave., Suite 112
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 776-4646
Washington, D.C. Office:
409 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: (202) 225-6730
Website
🏛️ U.S. Senators from Oregon
Sen. Jeff Merkley
Medford Office:
10 South Bartlett Street, Suite 201
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 608-9102
Washington, D.C. Office:
531 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3753
Website
Sen. Ron Wyden
Medford Office:
310 West 6th St., Room 118
Medford, OR 97501
Phone: (541) 858-5122
Washington, D.C. Office:
221 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5244
Website
🌐 Director of the Peace Corps
Carol Spahn
Peace Corps Headquarters:
1275 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20526
Phone: (855) 855-1961
Dear Cliff Bentz
Rep. Cliff Bentz (OR-2)
District Office:
14 N Central Ave., Suite 112
Medford, OR 97501
I am writing as a proud Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Gapyeong, South Korea from 1979 to 1981, working in a rural health center as a tuberculosis control worker. My time in the Peace Corps shaped not only my worldview but also the trajectory of my life. It led me to pursue a Master’s degree in Korean Studies and ultimately serve 27 years in the U.S. Foreign Service before retiring in 2016.
Today, I spend part of the year in South Korea, maintaining the personal and professional ties that were forged through public service and people-to-people diplomacy. I can attest firsthand to the long-lasting goodwill, cultural understanding, and strategic partnerships that Peace Corps volunteers generate. The Peace Corps is not simply a volunteer program—it is a cornerstone of American soft power and one of the most effective tools of diplomacy we’ve ever known.
I urge you, in the strongest terms, to oppose any efforts to dismantle, defund, or diminish the Peace Corps. As geopolitical tensions rise, especially in Asia, it is more crucial than ever to maintain programs that build bridges, not walls.
Please support robust funding for the Peace Corps, protect its independence, and preserve its legacy. The future of diplomacy begins in villages, classrooms, and clinics—not just embassies.
The Korean government has acknowledged these strong ties by hosting several reunions over the years. Last month, about 80 returned Volunteers and family members traveled to Seoul, South Korea, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps arrival in the country. We were there to attend the opening of an exhibit on the Peace Corps at the …
Peace Corps opened its program in Korea in 1966, and more than 2,000 Peace Corps volunteers served there before operations closed in 1981. Since 2008, the Republic of Korea has recognized the service of Peace Corps/Korea volunteers by hosting return trips for many former volunteers so they can again visit the country. Peace Corps and KOICA …
Peace Corps/Korea brought over 2,000 Americans to serve in Korea’s classrooms, farms, and industry. From 1966-1981, the assistance provided by these Volunteers, at a critical period in Korean history, helped to cement U.S.Korea ties. Kevin O’Donnell, the first country director of Peace Corps/Korea, and fourth director of the Peace Corps will …
Peace Corps Volunteers serve in over 60 countries. Find your place in the world. … South Korea 1966-1981 2,060 Volunteers Served Caribbean. The Dominican Republic. 1962-present 13 Volunteers …
It was, as the Peace Corps ad says, “The toughest job you will ever love.” When I left Korea in the mid-70s I was certain I would never see it again. As the years passed, the recollections of my life in Korea crystallized into increasingly romanticized memories. They became nearer and dearer to me in my life’s side-view mirror.
About Friends of Korea. Friends of Korea was founded in 2002 by former Peace Corps volunteers who served in the Republic of Korea between 1966 and 1981. Since Peace Corps ended its program in Korea in 1981, the challenge for Friends of Korea has been to find a mission. Over the past several years we have been engaged in a series of …
Oct 21, 2020Oct 21 2020. 1. by James Mayer (Korea 1978-81) The Korea Times. Friends of Korea. Peace Corps volunteers and others hold a walk-a-thon to raise funds for heart surgery in 1981. / Courtesy of Nancy Kelly. No one likes to be last. But I had that distinction as the Peace Corps Korea country director, and I am forever grateful that it happened.
Connect With the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps. We are inspired by hands-on, grassroots-driven, and lasting impact. Learn more about our mission. In a changing world, building a better future together. New Opportunities Now Available. Dozens of new Volunteering openings are live on our site.
Peace Corps Volunteers and the Making of Korean Studies in the United States. Edited by Seung-Kyung Kim and Michael Robinson. Center for Korea Studies, University of Washington. Reviewed by Steven Boyd Saum . The Peace Corps sent more than 2,000 Volunteers to South Korea 1966-81, to teach English and advise on healthcare.
Mention you’re with the Korea Peace Corps Reunion. Dan Strickland (K-18; danstrickland2001@yahoo.com) is our reunion point person and is available to answer questions or make suggestions. Let us know you’re coming by sending Dan an email with your name(s), your Korean name, K-group #, and check-in/out dates.
Here’s the latest on the future of the Peace Corps as of mid-2025, including perspectives from across the political spectrum and a list of countries where volunteers are currently serving.
🌍 Current Status of the Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is facing significant restructuring and budget cuts under the Trump administration. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has recommended deep staff reductions—up to 80% at headquarters and 25% globally—which could shutter some country programs. While the agency insists it will remain operational, many volunteers and applicants are anxious about its viability.
🗞️ Left-Leaning Analysis
The Hill: Reports that the cuts could “cripple” the Peace Corps and undermine decades of goodwill and soft diplomacy. Critics argue this is part of a broader dismantling of America’s international development efforts.
Peace Corps Connect: The National Peace Corps Association warns that reduced staffing and federal hiring freezes threaten volunteer support and training. They’re urging Congress to restore funding and protect the agency’s mission.
Peace Corps Worldwide: Advocates propose transforming the Peace Corps into an NGO or merging it with AmeriCorps to preserve its legacy and adapt to modern global challenges.
📰 Right-Leaning or Neutral Analysis
EconoTimes: Highlights Trump’s plan to expand and modernize the Peace Corps with a $2 billion budget, focusing on strategic regions like Southeast Asia and Eastern Europe. The goal is to align volunteer efforts with U.S. foreign policy interests.
Next Gen Business: Notes that while some see the cuts as fiscally responsible, others worry they will weaken U.S. influence abroad. The restructuring is framed as part of a broader government streamlining effort.
The Independent: Covers the DOGE-led downsizing and staff buyouts, noting that some posts may close and that the agency’s soft power role is at risk.
📍 Countries Where Peace Corps Volunteers Are Currently Serving
According to the Peace Corps official site, volunteers are actively serving in over 60 countries. Here are some with open opportunities:
Europe: Albania, Armenia, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, North Macedonia, Ukraine
Pacific Islands: Palau, Tonga, Vanuatu
Latin America & Caribbean: Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guyana, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Dominica
Some programs have been paused or closed recently, including those in Mozambique, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Kyrgyz Republic, and South Africa.
Down in the dirt has published my poem, Stairway to Heaven, Highway to Hell.
Hi there, this is Janet from Down in the Dirt, and
thanks for the sub. We are accepting “Stairway To Heaven Bumper Sticker”
for the February 2025 issue of Down in the Dirt magazine in print and
online (v228, released 2/1/25).
Your acceptance will also be online by the end of the day today… By the
end of the day today, Friday (at the end of the business day, CST), your
accepted writing will have its own web page in the writings section of http://scars.tv at http://scars.tv/cgi-bin/framesmain.pl?writers – just go
to the writings link, and under your name in the left frame will be your
accepted writing, which when clicked will appear in the larger right
frame. (In fact, if you have writings published in more than one issue,
you can in the future just look up your writings in the writings section,
and More Down in the Dirt Publication Newsabove every accepted piece of writing appearing in the right frame will be a link to where it was accepted for publication.) And so you know,
if you look up your writing in the writings section of http://scars.tv, a
link will appear above your writings letting the browser know which issue
the writing is accepted for (and once the issue is published, there will
be links there to the Internet/web page and the printer ordering link for
the issue).
Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven (Live at Earls Court 1975): Watch here
Heart – Stairway to Heaven (Live at Kennedy Center Honors): Watch here
There’s a lady who’s sure, all that glitters is gold
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word, she can get what she came for
Ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh
And she’s buying a stairway to heaven
There’s a sign on the wall, but she wants to be sure
‘Cause you know, sometimes words have two meanings
In a tree by the brook, there’s a songbird who sings
Sometimes all of our thoughts are misgiven
Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it makes me wonder
There’s a feeling I get when I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts, I have seen rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who stand looking
Ooh, it makes me wonder
Ooh, it really makes me wonder
And it’s whispered that soon, if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter
Whoa-whoa-whoa, oh-oh
If there’s a bustle in your hedgerow, don’t be alarmed now
It’s just a spring clean for the May Queen
Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run
And there’s still time to change the road you’re on
And it makes me wonder
Oh, whoa-oh
Your head is humming and it won’t go
In case you don’t know
The piper’s calling you to join him
Dear lady, can you hear the wind blow?
And did you know
Your stairway lies on the whispering wind?
And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all, yeah
To be a rock and not to roll
During the Trump-Haris debate, President Trump made racists comments about Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio. the Moderator fact checked him pointing out that the City Manager, Mayor and Police chief all denied that this was an actual thing. Nonetheless Trump, JD Vance and their cohorts in the MAGA movement have spent the last two weeks repeating these vile rumors.
Co-pilot provided background information
To provide accurate background information on recent comments by President Trump and JD Vance about Haitian immigrants eating dogs and cats in Springfield, Ohio, I’ll need to search for the most up-to-date and reliable sources. Let me gather that information for you.
The comments you’re referring to were made recently and have caused significant controversy. Here’s a summary of the situation:
On March 16, 2024, during a campaign rally in Dayton, Ohio, former President Donald Trump made claims about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. He stated Haitian immigrants were coming to Ohio in large numbers and suggested they were engaging in unusual practices, including eating dogs and cats.
JD Vance, a Republican Senator from Ohio, later echoed and defended Trump’s comments in a social media post.
These statements have been widely criticized by political opponents, fact-checkers, and immigrant advocacy groups as being inflammatory and not based on evidence.
Local officials in Springfield, Ohio, have disputed these claims, stating that there is no evidence of such practices occurring in their community.
The comments have sparked a broader debate about immigration rhetoric and its impact on communities.
For direct sources and more detailed information, you can refer to the following links:
He stated Haitian immigrants were coming to Ohio in large numbers and suggested they were engaging in unusual practices, including eating dogs and cats.
These sources provide comprehensive coverage of the statements made, the context surrounding them, and the reactions they’ve generated. It’s important to approach this topic with critical thinking and to consider multiple perspectives when evaluating the impact and accuracy of these claims.
Here are my poems and stories about these ridiculous racist claims.
Sandra Jones Interrupts Haitian Voodoo Cat Ritual
Sandra Lee Jones lived in Springfield, Ohio. She was a local political activist and recently had gotten involved in the MAGA movement local chapter which was quite concerned with the problems facing the community with the influx of Haitian immigrants. She was convinced that her Haitian neighbors were killing and eating dogs and cats as part of a satanic voodoo ritual. She followed the controversy on Facebook and was determined to get footage confirming that. She had contacted the local police, the local papers, and the Mayor, but they ignored her frequent calls seeing her as a crank caller and warning her of the legal penalties for filing false and frivolous police reports.
One night, she went into the woods with her friends to spy on a Haitian voodoo ceremony being held on a full moon night deep in the woods. They saw a lost black cat running away from the campfire being chased by a voodoo priestess.
Sandra rescued the cat and confronted her.
Sandra rescued the cat and confronted her.
“Hey, what are you doing to the cats and dogs? Are you eating them?”
The priestess, Mambo Lola Sita, said,
“Back off, Karen. Mind your own business. And give me back Sassy my cat. We need him for our ritual. We can perform a blessing ritual for you and your friends. Maybe you win the lotto or get a new boyfriend or girlfriend, whatever you want I can make happen with my voodoo mojo.
Sandra pulled out her cell phone and called the police. They were used to her frequent calls and considered her a nuisance crank caller. Jason Adams, her video assistant live streamed the encounter on FB, X, and Fox News. Which broke into their regular programming to bring live coverage of ‘”The Voodoo Cat Ritual” taking place in Springfield, Ohio. They had live interviews with Christian Ministers active in the “anti- Voodoo” movement. Former President Trump and JD Vance live called into the program denouncing the Haitians for conducting shocking voodoo animal sacrifices.
The right media made Sandra a hero for standing up to the evil Haitians. Donald Trump and JD Vance said they believed her story. Only 30 percent of Americans believed her story, most people were sympathetic to the Haitian immigrants
Trump lauded the brave woman who saved a cat from death in a voodoo ceremony.,
Haitian immigrants across the country accused of killing pets, Proud Boys descend on Springfield, Ohio.
“These animals from Haiti are sick weirdos, totally disgusting vermin. The local police should be arresting them but they are too afraid of the woke radical leftist mob and the rabid pro-open borders media. They kill cats, dogs, and ducks and eat them as part of their satanic Voodoo ceremonies. Why won’t comrade Kamala apologize to the country for letting these Haitian thugs into the country in the first place? Is she a secret Voodoo believer? Her father was from Jamaica they do voodoo there too. I am told Thanks to Sandra the cat was saved. On day one of my Presidency, we will deport all the Haitians in the US, starting with Springfield, ground zero of the Haitian Voodoo invasion, and we will also make Voodoo illegal.”
The police and media showed up and walked about the campfire confirming that there were no dead animals at the site. They arrested Sandra and her associates for filing a false police report and instigating a hate crime. The Haitians declined to press charges and were released.
They began receiving hate mail every day. A week later Sandra was horrified when she looked out at the front yard covered with dead cats and dogs on top of the freshly fallen first snow of the year, as the cold front finally moved through.
“Karen” is a pejorative term that refers to white middle-aged women who call the police to report crimes allegedly being committed by black people.
“MAGA Make America Great Again” is President Trump’s populist movement that has taken over the Republican party.
“Mind Your Own Business” is Governor Tim Walz, the democratic party’s candidate warning to the Republican MAGA movement positions on abortion and LRBTQ rights
Haitian immigrants across the country accused of killing pets, Proud Boys descend on Springfield, Ohio.
Trump and Vance hold a rally in Springfield to denounce immigrant pet abuse by Haitian immigrants.
The Proud Boys and other right-wing groups announce that they are going to Springfield, Ohio to hold citizen arrests of the entire Haitian community and expel them from town to save the town from the threat of dog and cat killings posed by the Haitian immigrants.
After the rally, the proud boys go around shooting and killing Haitians while Trump says nothing to condemn the horrific violence and promises to pay the legal bills of the patriots who cleaned up the city.
The residents of the town rally to protect their new neighbors and fight back. The Proud Boys and others leave town after killing Haitians and burning down their businesses. The townspeople held a press conference and announced that they would help their Haitian friends rebuilt their lives.
Trump Says Time to Deport all Haitians
“When I am President, we will eliminate immigration from shit-hole countries like Haiti and deport Haitians en-mass. It is a terrible country where they come from. The Haitians are simply horrid animals. The proud boys go ahead and rough them up scare them to leave town so they can go and infest I don’t know maybe Oakland? Comrade Harris’s hometown?
The national Associations of Caribbean Americans endorse Kamala Harris and promises a new beginning for Caribbean Americans including Haitians.
Donald Trump Doubles Down
Donald Trump
Is a stubborn old man
Adamant in his delusions
Doubling down on his racist lies,
Comments about Haitians
Eeating cats, ducks, dogs and gesse.
Appealing to his racist white base
Who eat up his hateful words.
Haiti Eating dogs Oh My
Trump and Vance
Have gone off
The racist deep-end
Talking about Haitians
Eating dogs and cats
Implying they were engaged
In weird voodoo rituals.
Trump Goes On Tirade about Haitian immigrants
Trump announced that if he were elected president he would immediately deport Haitians and rescind the TSP program. He went on to say that Haiti was a horrible country, filled with violent vile people who practice voodoo and dogs and cats. He would start with deporting the Haitians in Springfield who are not good people, in fact they are vermin, animals that should be rounded up and shot.
Haitians Eating Dogs – oh my Semi-found Poem
“In Springfield,
they’re eating the dogs,
the people who came in
”
These animals
have taken over” Springfield
and are “walking off,”
with people’s pets.
“They’re eating the cats.
They’re eating
the pets of the people
that live there.”
and this
is what’s
happening in our country.
We’re going
to get these people out,”
These animals
from Haiti are sick weirdos,
totally disgusting vermin.
The local police
should be arresting them
but they are too afraid
of the woke radical leftist mob
and the rabid pro-open borders media.
They kill cats, dogs,
and ducks
and eat them
as part of their satanic
Voodoo ceremonies.
Why won’t comrade Kamala
apologize to the country
for letting these Haitian thugs
into the country
in the first place?
Is she a secret voodoo believer?
Her father was from Jamaica
they voodoo there too.
I am told
Thanks to Sandra
the cat was saved.
On day one of my Presidency,
we will deport
all the Haitians in the US,
Starting with Springfield,
Ground zero of the
Haitian Voodoo invasion,
and we will also
make Voodoo illegal.”
A local Haitian activist said
a visit from Trump
“would be like rubbing sandpaper
covered with salt
on an open wound,”
” they continue to dehumanize the Haitian community,
just like this country vilified the Germans and Italians
Donald Trump Cat and Duck AI Images, also known as Donald Trump Cat Memes, Cats For Trump or Ducks For Trump, refers to a series of AI-generated images showing former United States President Donald Trump holding cats and ducks, often rescuing them or running away with the animals, that are then “supporting” him in the 2024 Presidential Election. The artificial intelligence images went viral in early September 2024 as part of a rumor about Haitian immigrants in Ohio purportedly eating pets, notably including a neighbor’s cat and geese, which were then used by Trump supporters to joke about the recent influx of Haitians in the country. Despite local authorities refuting the claims of Haitian immigrants eating people’s animals, the AI pictures depicting Trump rescuing them were widely spread on social media, particularly on X / Twitter.
One of the earliest pieces of memetic content was posted by X[1] user @TrumpsRare that same day, who shared an AI-generated video of Donald Trump kissing a duck captioned, “I love you. I would never let the Haitians eat you.” The upload (shown below) received over 2.3 million views, 8,1700 reposts and 57,000 likes in one day.
Spread
Several AI images depicting Donald Trump saving cats and ducks from people (presumably intended to depict Haitian immigrants) started to appear across X, Reddit and TikTok in the following days after the rumor gained traction on social media in early September 2024.
For example, on September 9th, 2024, the X[2] page @JudiciaryGOP posted an AI montage showing Trump hugging a kitty and a goose while he’s in the water, captioning it with, “Protect our ducks and kittens in Ohio!” The tweet (seen below) amassed more than 67 million views, 7,900 reposts and 32,000 likes in a day.
Also on September 9th, Redditor[3] Ok-Star-6787 posted an AI image of Trump holding two kittens while running away from two men, captioning the post, “For Trump to save your neighborhood cats.” The post (seen below) received roughly 275 upvotes and 38 comments in a day.
On the same day, TikTok[4] user @teamwork200000 posted a video featuring cats wearing “cats for rump” hats (seen below), which garnered over 10,000 plays and 1,600 likes in a day.
The Trump catmemes were also mentioned by Congressman Eric Swalwell on September 10th, 2024, which was later uploaded on X[5] by the page @townhallcom (seen below). In the video, Swalwell calls out @JudiciaryGOP AI image featuring Trump holding a kitty and a goose, saying “You’re tweeting this nonsense.” The post amassed more than 196,000 views and 1,400 likes in a few hours.
These poems were written following weekly prompts on writing com. For each poem, I have provided the underlying prompt and additional information following the poems. They are in a wide range of styles and ratings. This is the third time I have completed this challenge, and I look forward to the next challenge starting next month for a year..
#18. Lonely Young WOman
ID #1048804 entered on April 26, 2023 at 3:40am [Edit] [31 views]
#17. Barbados Beckoning
ID #1048740 entered on April 25, 2023 at 2:01am [Edit] [45 views]
Barbados, West Indies – March 4, 2007: A beach scene on the Caribbean Island of Barbados with a yellow lifeguard station and people enjoying the beach and the water.
April Poetry Madness 2024 April 26 to April 30, 2024 Poems
This is the fifth and final batch of my April Poetry Madness challenge poems, (for April 21 to April 25), following daily prompts supplied by Poetry Superhighway, Writer’s Digest, Writing Com Dew Drop Inn, and NaPoWriMo. I am not posting any more PSH poems, as I need to keep some unpublished for future submissions.
I have included the poem, the prompt, and occasionally a bonus poem or comment or two. I am also cross-posting this on All Poetry, Blog Lovin, Cosmos Funnel, Facebook, Fan Story, Instagram, LinkedIn, Medium, Substack, Wattpad, Writer’s Digest, Writing Com, and Twitter. This is probably my last time doing this. Just getting too old to keep up.
NaPoWrMo The Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans
AV version The Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans
April 5, 2024
PSH Love Expressed Through Food
WD Tell Me No Lies
WC Make Baseball Great Again!
NaPoWrMo Resurrecting the Dodo Bird
April 6
PSH Cosmic Dog From Goa
WD Meeting My Fate Minimum Poem
WC Daily Ritual Drinks
NaPoWrMo Only In SF
Part Two
April 7
PSH Visiting My Father’s Grave
Bonus: Yakima Dessert Blues
WD Meeting My Fate Minimum Poem
WC Why Trump?
NaPoWrMo Planetary Nut Re-Configuration Program
April 8
PSH Area Codes
WD My Lucky Number
WC Economic Perception Delay
NaPoWrMo Wish You Were Here
April 9
PSH Dearly Beloved
WD the Major Event of My Life
WC Death to All Humans
NaPoWrMo My Dysfunctional Family
April 10
PSH You Can’t Write That!
WD Better Political Discourse Needed
WC Green Trees Don’t Make It
AI Bing Version
NaPoWrMo Ode to My Coffee Pot
April 11
PSH Quote Poem About 9-11
WD Crazy Love Nonet
WC April 11—Eclipse/d two Lunatic Lune Poems about the Eclipse
NaPoWrMo Tribute to John Dean
April 12
PSH Subway Journey
WD Old Man Lost In His Old Memories
WC Civil War 2.0
NaPoWrMo 11 One Liners
April 13
PSH First Time to Eat Kimchi
WD Five Trumpian Humor Poetic Fragments
WC April 13—Discovery Shooting Down the Alien Visitors
NaPoWrMo Saga of Big Daddy
April 14
PSH 99 Haiku TBC
WD life worth Living
WC Tech Peeves
NaPoWrMo Shy Man Fishing
Part Three
Not posting PSH saving them as “unpublished)
Writer Digest Poems
April 15 New Middle Poem Middle Of Political Silly Season In The U.S. Trigger Warning Mild Political Rant
April 16 Trump Shardona Poem
April 17 New Tuesday prompt write a Shadorma poem about recent tech layoffs CEO To Labor Units of Production Shardona – You are Not Wanted
April 18 WD pessimistic Poem -not the Way to Fire People New Rules in the New Corporation World
April 19 Emotion Poem -fears of falling
April 20 The circus bear escapes
Bear in collar hears praise while rambling
alt. bonus poem Met And Married My Dream Lady
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Prompts
WC April 15 Lament Drifting Towards Civil War 2.0
WC Prove Something – God’s Demented Sense of Humor
WC Question something -The basic decency and sanity of Americans
WC Scumbagology
WC Comedy – The Donald Trump Show is Getting Old
NaPoWriMo Prompts
April 15
My stamp collection
April 16
Late Night Earthquake Blues
April 17
What is Hip?
April 18 It’s A Dog’s Life for Me
April 19
Hunting the Monsters in Hell
Day 20 Trail of Tears – My Family Connection
Part four
Writer’s Digest Prompts
April 21 Romantic Trope -Fairy Tale Romance
April 22 Gaii’s Calls for Revenge Against Humanity Earth Day Nightmare
April 23 Donald Trump’s Trials the Heart of the Matter
April 24 Maximum Cruelty in the Name of Jesus in the Point
April 25 Insight into Trump Incite Homonym Poem
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Prompts
April 21—Salient Image (poem based on one concrete thing you remember at day’s end) Seeing My Wife
April 22— Serio-comic dilemma -Election Choices Trigger Warning -Anti-Trump Rant!
April 23—Let Shakespeare be your inspiration – Fairy Tale Romance
April 24—Unexplored Desire Rule of Ten
April 25 TV Show Rocky and Bullwinkle background info
NaPoWriMo Poems
April 21 News Gives Me the Blues
April 22 Coffee and Tea endless argument – which is better?
April 23 Batman Feeling the Blues Kojiki Poem
April 24 the Dream of the Sphinx
April 25 Proust Questionnaire
Part Five
Writers Digest Prompts
Day 26 Life as a Coffee Pot
April 27 Old Man Lost In His Memories -Cornish Sonnet re-mix
April 27 Old Man Lost in his memories
April 28 I saw my Father Die Double Cinquain
April 29 Until the end of time
April 30 Beginning Of My Life Dream Cherita
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Prompts
April 26—Noise Now My Home Korea
April 27—Beauty Korean Land of K Beauties
April 28 Secrets Diplomatic Secrets to Take to My Grave
April 29—The sense of an ending End of Trump Reality TV Show?
NaPoWriMo Prompts
Day 26 “Nattering Nabobs of Negativity April Poetry
Day 27 Insomnia Blues An American Sonnet
April 28 Meeting Dream Girl Sijo
April 29 Saga of Big Daddy
April 30 The Grim Reaper Gathers His Posse
Begin Poems
Writer’s Digest
Day 26 Life as a Coffee Pot
coffee
If I were to come back
As an inanimate object,
I would come back
As a coffee pot.
Giving pleasure
Every morning
To my master and friends.
As they enjoy the fresh coffee,
That is my Buddha nature
To make for them.
For today’s prompt, write a persona poem. A persona poem is just a poem narrated in the voice of a persona who is not yourself. Like I could write a persona poem in the voice of Batman or SpongeBob SquarePants or an abandoned payphone beside an abandoned gas station (which I just might do) or a stray cat. Pick someone or something, take on its persona, and write
2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 28
Remix title: Old Man Lost In His Old Memories
converted to Cornish Sonnet form
Sam Adams thought about that date.
On a fine date in September.
For that was the day he met his fate.
Sparks flew from heart to heart.
A date he would always remember.
She soon became his sweetheart.
When he saw on the bus he knew
That she would be his forever.
And that he would never feel blue.
As long as she was by his side.
He vowed they would be happy forever
As long as she was by his bedside.
Sam Adams thought about that date.
On a fine date in September.
The Cornish Sonnet is said by an internet source to be influenced by Arab traders to the Cornish coast . This verse form appears to be a merging of Arabic meter and the sonnet. Exactly when and how this came about I have yet to pin down. Early Cornish verse is fragmented and stingy at best. The earliest literature in the Cornish language were fragments of religious plays. The language became all but extinct by the 18th century but what was preserved demonstrates some verse in octaves using 7 syllable loose trochaic lines and alternating rhyme. Unlike verse from other Celtic origins, deliberate use of alliteration or other devices of “harmony of sound” are not present. This sonnet form doesn’t fit with these early findings so I can only assume that it arrived on the scene much later than originally presumed.
The elements of the Cornish Sonnet are:
lyrical meditation.
a quatorzain, 2 sestetsmade up of linked enclosed tercets, followed by a refrain which is the repeat of the first line of each sestet.
metered at the discretion of the poet, lines should be of similar length.
rhymed Ababcc Defdef AD The first line of each sestet are repeated in refrain in the last couplet.
The sonnet can be written with an alternate rhyme scheme aaabcbc defdef CF In this scenario the last line of each sestet is repeated in refrain in the last couplet.
I opted to not use traditional meter as I generally don’t handle that well for some reason
original poem about old man lost in his memories – spelling out his memories of meeting his wife
Memories
Of past events
Yesterdays
Overwhelming
An old man
Lost in his past
Can’t sleep at 0 dark hundred.
Note: “ O dark hundred” is military/intel jargon referring to the time two to three hours before dawn when operatives get up to get ready for dawn operations. Depending on the location and time of year it is between 2 a.m. to 5 a.m.
for me is 3 a.m. and 5 a.m. when I get the insomnia blues.
For today’s prompt, write a remix poem. Just remix one of your poems. It could be from earlier in this month or even from before this challenge. But take one of your already existing poems and remix it. If it’s a sonnet, make it free verse. If it’s free verse, try turning it into a triolet or villanelle. Have fun with it.
April 28 Dead Poem I saw my Father Die Double Cinquain
Curtis Cosmos Aller, Jr
Visiting My Father’s Grave
My father died.
when i saw my dad lying there.
I sensed his soul departing from his dead body.
It was as if a light had gone out, his soul escaped from his life.
I knew death then.
Prompt:
We are going to start Poetry Week with the Double Cinquain.
On an Internet search for new poetry forms, I found the Double Cinquain. The structure is quite the same, compared with the Cinquain, only the syllables have doubled.
How did the Cinquain go?
xx
xxxx
xxxxxx
xxxxxxxx
xx
The Double Cinquain have twice as many syllables, but still five lines.
So in a scheme it looks:
xxxx
xxxxxxxx
xxxx xxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxx
xxxx
Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a dead poem.
For today’s prompt, write a dead poem. Back on day 13, we wrote living poems. Now, we’re going to inspect the other side of that coin. A dead poem could take place at a funeral or involve a wilting flower that’s already been picked. Or it could involve the undead (like zombies and vampires). Or maybe a dead language, a dead culture, or as some people like to say, they’re just “dead inside.”
2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 29 Until the End of Time Tripple Cherita Poem
lovers kissing
I will love you from now
Until The end of time.
and beyond death
When we met, we both knew
we were Soul mates
Who were fated to meet.
Our love was stronger
Then time and space
And we found each other
As we looked at each other
Sparks flew between heart-to-heart
As we stared at each other
With love blazing from your eyes.
You hypnotized me
Mesmerized me
You put a spell on me
You love Mojo working overtime.
And I knew that I was yours.
Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a Until Blank poem.
Tomorrow is the final day of this challenge but remember: This challenge ain’t over until it’s over, so…
For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Until (blank),” replace the blank with a new word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles might include: “Until the End of Time,” “Until the Cows Come Home,” “Until I Finish This Poem,” and/or “Until You Get Your Chores Done.”
2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 30 Beginning Of My Life Dream Cherita
My life
Began one day
In September.
When my dream lady
Walked off a bus
Into my life.
Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, we have our fifth (and final) Two-for-Tuesday prompt.
Today is our fifth (and final) Two-for-Tuesday prompt, and also the final prompt of the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. But it’s not the final prompt(s) of the year, because we’ll get back to Wednesday Poetry Prompts every week beginning tomorrow, and I am planning to lead the 17th annual November Poem-A-Day Chapbook Challenge in November (look for the guidelines in October).
For today’s Two-for-Tuesday prompt:
Write at The End poem, and/or…
Write a Beginning poem.
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Prompts
April 26—Noise Now My Home Korea
When I first came
To South Korea in 1979
To do my Peace Corps duty
In a rural country town,
I thought that the old name
Of Korea
“the land of the morning calm”
Was absurd.
Korea was a noisy place
From early morning on.
Cars, horns, radio TV blaring
People talking to crowds everywhere
At night people drink and dine.
And loudspeakers
Blasting you awake
At 6 a.m.
And during elections
Sound trucks everywhere.
Now 45 years later
It is my home
No longer noisy
Chaotic exotic place
Just home.
April 27—Beauty Korean Land of K Beauties
lovers in the rain
I live in Korea
The land of plastic surgery
K beauty products.
Korean women are
Among the most beautiful
Woman in the world.
The cult of the beautiful
Everywhere you go
You see beautiful women
And men on the street,
And I realized I married
The most beautiful woman
In the world,
When I met and married
My Dream lady.
April 28 Secrets Diplomatic Secrets to Take to My Grave
I worked for 27 years
as a US diplomat
and witnessed a lot of things
that were and are considered
secrets.
– and we are trained
to keep these secrets
secret.
and I will no doubt die
and take some secrets
to my grave.
April 29—The sense of an ending End of Trump Reality TV Show?
While watching the Trump trials
I sense an ending
To the Trump Reality TV show.
As he is revealed to be
What he is
Nothing but a charlatan
A con man, a grifter.
And he is not the King
Not a dictator, and not a genius,
He seems to be just a tired old man
Finally, being held accountable.
For decades of alleged misconduct
Fraudulent business and political
Crimes include inciting a riot.
Stealing national secrets
And so many over.
Yet the polls show
He could become our next President
Perhaps I am seeing the end
Of democracy playing out
On my TV screen?
Dear God, I pray
Make it all go way
Retire Trump from the game
April 30 Poem About Poetry Why Do I Write?
Why Do I write
These poems every day?
Why do I spend so much time
Writing down these verses
That few will ever see?
Why do I bother?
The only answer is because
I must write daily
My inner muse compels me
And I have to write down
These mad thoughts.
And share them
With the world
Even if no one reads them
Other than my wife
And some of my friends.
I have no choice
That is what I am.
I am just a writer,
And a mad poet
At heart.
NaPoWriMo Prompts
Day 26 “Nattering Nabobs of Negativity April Poetry
(Original Caption) 8/22/1972-Miami Beach, Florida: President Richard Nixon will be inaugurated for a second term on Jan. 20, 1973. Nixon and Vice President Spiro T. Agnew wave and smile to the audience of the 1972 Republican National Convention after they acknowledged their re-nomination.
Before there was Donald Trump’s tirade
Against the false fraudulent fake news
Enemies of the people
For being a “lying liberal leftwing lunatic “
Peddling “fake fraudulent falsehoods”
Fake false news.
There was Nixon and Agnew’s crusade
Against their enemies
In the so-called Liberal media
VP Agnew who resigned
To avoid going to prison
Before Nixon’s downfall
Was famous for his quotes
One of his best quotes
Was this little gem
Filled with alliteration
He called out the press
For being
“Nattering Nabobs of Negativity.”
Happy final Friday of Na/GloPoWriMo, everyone!
Our featured participant for the day is Words With Ruth, where we get a dating profile in response to Day 25’s Proust Questionnaire prompt.
And now for our (optional) prompt. Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a poem that involves alliteration, consonance, and assonance. Alliteration is the repetition of a particular consonant sound at the beginning of multiple words. Consonance is the repetition of consonant sounds elsewhere in multiple words, and assonance is the repetition of vowel sounds. Traci Brimhall’s poem “A Group of Moths” provides a great example of these poetic devices at work, with each line playing with different sounds that seem to move the poem along on a sonorous wave.
Your poem doesn’t have to be as complex as all that, though. Just pick a consonant or two and a vowel and dive right into the wonderful world (hey, there’s some alliteration/consonance/assonance right there) of sound.
Presidency:
In 1968, Richard Nixon asked Agnew to place his name in nomination for the vice presidency, and he became Nixon’s running mate.
Agnew gained national recognition for his colorful speeches denouncing Vietnam War protesters and other opponents of the Nixon administration.
He was despised by many Democrats but pleased Republicans with his rhetoric.
Resignation:
Agnew’s downfall began in 1973 when he was investigated for extortion, bribery, and income-tax violations related to his tenure as governor of Maryland.
Faced with federal indictments, he resigned on October 10, 1973, becoming the second person to resign the vice presidency (after John C. Calhoun in 1832) and the first to do so under duress.
Death: Spiro Agnew passed away on September 17, 1996, in Berlin, Maryland.
A very happy twenty-seventh day of Na/GloPoWriMo to you all.
Today, our featured daily participant is Peregrine Buffington, where you’ll not only find a lot of alliteration, consonance, and assonance in response to Day 26’s prompt, but you’ll find it in abecedarian form.
Our featured resource for the day is Poetry Pause, the “daily dispatch” of the League of Canadian Poets.
And now for our prompt – optional, as always! Today we’d like to challenge you to write an “American sonnet.” What’s that? Well, it’s like a regular sonnet but . . . fewer rules? Like a traditional Spencerian or Shakespearean sonnet, an American sonnet is shortish (generally 14 lines, but not necessarily!), discursive, and tends to end with a bang, but there’s no need to have a rhyme scheme or even a specific meter.
April 28, 2024 Meeting Dream Girl Sijo
On that date,
In September, I met my fate.
When she came to life.
We met first in my nightly dreams
I knew I had met
My soul mate.
based on my true love story.
Finally, our optional prompt for the day asks you to try your hand at writing a sijo. This is a traditional Korean verse form. A sijo has three lines of 14-16 syllables. The first line introduces the poem’s theme, the second discusses it, and the third line, which is divided into two sentences or clauses, ends the poem – usually with some kind of twist or surprise.
You could also write a sijo in six lines – at least when it comes to translating classical sijo into English, translators seem to have developed this habit, as you can see from these translations of poems by Jong Moong-Ju and U Tak.
April 29 Clandestine – Saga of Big Daddy
photo created by Bing Co-Pilot
Big Daddy lived in the shadow worlds
in the clandestine underground.
He was an ex-University of Arkansas
And Dallas Cowboy player.
Who had worked for the CIA
After the agency fired him
For murdering enemies
Of the state at home.
In contravention of agency rules,
But they retained his services
From time to time.
He became a legendary figure
He was a cipher, a ghost,
a Machiavellian intel operative
A spy, a spook, a secret agent man,
living in the clandestine shadows..
No one knew his real name
Called him Big Daddy.
Or his latest covert name.
And he had hundreds
Of cover legends.
He officially did not exist,
As his agency had officially
Terminated him years ago.
He now worked for an agency
That did not exist.
The same agency
That had terminated his legal existence
For matters of national security.
He lived in the
clandestine Shadowlands
Of the third world.
In nameless hellhole slums
And clandestine, dark,
secret dungeons.
Where he would do what needed
To be done
Killing those that needed killing
At the instructions
Of his unseen masters.
He was just a rumor
Living in the shadow worlds
working for a clandestine
unnamed agency
that did not exist.
An intel operative
The best of the best at what he did
Which was creative interrogation.
His favorite choice
Was the creative use of
An electric shock,
Imaginary or not
But sometimes
It had an outcome
An unimaginable outcome.
His worst nightmare
The victim is released
And sues him
And the agencies
That he worked for.
But so far
It has not happened
As no one knew
His real name
And the government
Did not know too.
So justice
was never served
On Big Daddy.
April 30
And now for our optional prompt. If you’ve been paying attention to pop-music news over the past couple of weeks, you may know that Taylor Swift has released a new double album titled “The Tortured Poets Department.” In recognition of this occasion, Merriam-Webster put together a list of ten words from Taylor Swift songs. We hope you don’t find this too torturous yourself, but we’d like to challenge you to select one these words and write a poem that uses the word as its title.
Clandestine
Song Title/Album: “illicit affairs” / folklore
Lyric: “And that’s the thing about illicit affairs / And clandestine meetings and longing stares”
Definition: done in a private place or way done secretly
About the Word:Clandestine is an adjective that is often used as a substitute for secret and covert, and it is commonly applied to actions that involve secrecy maintained for an evil, illicit (as in “illicit affairs”), or unauthorized purpose. It comes to English by way of Middle French, from Latin clandestine, which is itself from Latin clam, meaning “secretly.” Although people involved in clandestine activities tend to clam up when asked about them, the bivalveclam has no relation to the Latin clam, but comes instead from the Old English word clam, meaning “bond” or “fetter.”
Machiavellian
Song Title/Album: “Mastermind” / Midnights
Lyric: “I’m only cryptic and Machiavellian ‘because I care”
Definition: using clever lies and tricks in order to get or achieve something : clever and dishonest
About the Word: While inspiring an adjective (such as Swiftian) may seem like a fine way to achieve linguistic immortality, it must be said that many words taken from people’s names are not as complimentary. Machiavellian—which describes things marked by cunning, duplicity, or bad faith—comes from the Italian political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli (1469-1527), the author of the most famous treatise on bare-knuckled politics ever published, The Prince, which brought him a reputation as an immoral cynic and even a teacher of evil.
April 30 The Grim Reaper Gathers His Posse
cheating death
It was Halloween night
A night that all the denizens
Of hell loved.
For on that night
All of hell would break out.
They would celebrate their annual escape
On Halloween, they are allowed
To go to the surface sunlit lands.
For a night of drinking,
Drugging and wilding
As bad craziness descends
Upon the land.
The Grim Reaper and his posse
Dressed up as cosmic court jesters
Dressed as fools.
They descended upon the world
And a night of chaos fell upon the land.
Thousands died, as the Grim Reaper
Added to his quota.
Bonus kills were bonus points.
He returned to hell with his minions,
And the souls of the dead
Who soon became mere ghosts.
Their voices crying in the wind
Echoing through time.
And now for our last prompt of the year – optional, as always! Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a poem in which the speaker is identified with, or compared to, a character from myth or legend, as in Claire Scott’s poem “Scheherazade at the Doctor’s Office.”
This is the fourth batch of my April Poetry Madness challenge poems, (for April 21 to April 25), following daily prompts supplied by Poetry Superhighway, Writer’s Digest, Writing Com Dew Drop Inn, and NaPoWriMo. I am not posting any more PSH poems as I need to keep some unpublished for future submissions.
I have included the poem, the prompt, and occasionally a bonus poem or comment or two. I am also cross-posting this on All Poetry, Blog Lovin, Cosmos Funnel, Facebook, Fan Story, Instagram, LinkedIn, Medium, Substack, Wattpad, Writer’s Digest, Writing Com, and Twitter. This is probably my last time doing this. Just getting too old to keep up.
NaPoWrMo The Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans
AV version The Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans
April 5, 2024
PSH Love Expressed Through Food
WD Tell Me No Lies
WC Make Baseball Great Again!
NaPoWrMo Resurrecting the Dodo Bird
April 6
PSH Cosmic Dog From Goa
WD Meeting My Fate Minimum Poem
WC Daily Ritual Drinks
NaPoWrMo Only In SF
Part Two
April 7
PSH Visiting My Father’s Grave
Bonus: Yakima Dessert Blues
WD Meeting My Fate Minimum Poem
WC Why Trump?
NaPoWrMo Planetary Nut Re-Configuration Program
April 8
PSH Area Codes
WD My Lucky Number
WC Economic Perception Delay
NaPoWrMo Wish You Were Here
April 9
PSH Dearly Beloved
WD the Major Event of My Life
WC Death to All Humans
NaPoWrMo My Dysfunctional Family
April 10
PSH You Can’t Write That!
WD Better Political Discourse Needed
WC Green Trees Don’t Make It
AI Bing Version
NaPoWrMo Ode to My Coffee Pot
April 11
PSH Quote Poem About 9-11
WD Crazy Love Nonet
WC April 11—Eclipse/d two Lunatic Lune Poems about the Eclipse
NaPoWrMo Tribute to John Dean
April 12
PSH Subway Journey
WD Old Man Lost In His Old Memories
WC Civil War 2.0
NaPoWrMo 11 One Liners
April 13
PSH First Time to Eat Kimchi
WD Five Trumpian Humor Poetic Fragments
WC April 13—Discovery Shooting Down the Alien Visitors
NaPoWrMo Saga of Big Daddy
April 14
PSH 99 Haiku TBC
WD Life Worth Living
WC Tech Peeves
NaPoWrMo Shy Man Fishing
Part Three
Writer’s Digest Poems
April 15 New Middle Poem Middle Of Political Silly Season In The U.S. Trigger Warning Mild Political Rant
April 16 Trump Shardona Poem
April 17 New Tuesday prompt write a Shadorma poem about recent tech layoffs CEO To Labor Units of Production Shardona – You are Not Wanted
April 18 WD pessimistic Poem -not the Way to Fire People New Rules in the New Corporation World
April 19 Emotion Poem -Fears of Falling
April 20 The Circus Bear Escapes
Bear in collar hears praise while rambling
alt. bonus poem Met And Married My Dream Lady
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Prompts
WC April 15 Lament Drifting Towards Civil War 2.0
WC Prove Something – God’s Demented Sense of Humor
WC Question something -The Basic Decency and Sanity of Americans
WC Scumbagology
WC Comedy – The Donald Trump Show is Getting Old
NaPoWriMo Prompts
April 15
My stamp collection
April 16
late Night Earthquake blues
April 17
What is Hip?
April 18 It’s A Dog’s Life for Me
April 19
Hunting the Monsters in Hell
Day 20 Trail of Tears – My Family Connection
Begin Poems
Writers Digest Prompts
April 21 PAD Challenge: Fairy Tale Romance
lovers kissing
Sam Adams often thought
Of his true love story
As a fairy tale romance
That somehow became real.
He had dreamt of meeting
His dream lady
For eight years.
He joined the Peace Corps
Traveled to Korea
To look for her.,
Then one day
She told him
In his dream
“Don’t worry
We will meet soon”
That night
She walked off a bus
Into his life
Becoming his wife.
They were from different worlds
She was a Korean college student
From a middle-class family.
And he had grown up
As the son of a college professor
And politician in liberal Berkeley.
Yet despite their different backgrounds
And different personalities
He was not very practical
Lost in his world at times
Not that ambitious.
She was very practical
Money minded woman
Determined to make her mark
On the world
And they did not see eye to eye
On many things
But on the things that really matter
They were there for each other
Understanding each other
And their love grew
Day by day.
Until one day
Sam realized that they had
Been together 42 years
And were still in love.
And that had made all the difference
In their fairy tale true love story.
Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a trope poem.
Once we get through today’s poem, we’ll be finished with the first three weeks of this challenge. Where has the time gone?
For today’s prompt, write a trope poem. For most people, tropes are common plot devices used in certain genres. In romance, for example, the “different worlds” trope brings together two characters from different walks of life and/or cultures. Meanwhile, a popular trope in horror fiction is to split up, which usually doesn’t end well for many of the characters. Mysteries frequently feature the “unassuming suspect” trope. Pick a trope or mix a few in your poem today.
If you need help getting started, check out these lists of popular tropes:
2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 22 Gaii’s Calls for Revenge Against Humanity Earth Day Nightmare
The spirit of the ancient trees woke up
after thousands of years of slumber.
They woke up and marched on Washington
demanding an end to logging, pollution, mining
and other assaults on the planet earth
by the mad human creatures.
They said that Gaia, the guardian angel
of the planet had summoned them
with this warning to the people of earth.
Your time on this planet is coming to an end
i have decreed it, and no one can oppose my will.
Gaia kept her word, unleashing a supper plagues
wiped out 99 percent of humanity.
The few who remained lived under
the watchful eyes of the tree spirits.
Today is Earth Day, so…
For today’s prompt, write an earth poem. The poem can be about nature or the planet. But it can also be about anything or anyone on the planet. Or dirt (aka, earth); feel encouraged to write a poem about dirt. Or earthlings!
2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 23 The Heart of the Matter
Donald Trump’s Trials the Heart of the Matter
The heart of the matter
With Donald Trump’s numerous trials
Is simply this
Is the former president
Above the law
Can he do what he wants
And not be held accountable?
Is the former president
An authoritarian leader
A potential king?
Or is he simply
An everyday citizen now?
Is he a strong leader
a visionary revolutionary populist?
As he constantly proclaims
Or is he broken-down
Pathetic old loser ?
That is the heart
Of the matter.
Today is our fourth Two-for-Tuesday prompt, which would usually mean it’s the final Two-for-Tuesday prompt of the month, but we’re lucky this year: five Tuesdays!
For today’s Two-for-Tuesday prompt:
Write a “(blank) of the Heart” poem, and/or…
Write a “Heart of the (blank)” poem.
Not sure what I’m talking about? Replace the blank in either of these phrases with a new word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles might include: “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” “Coney Island of the Heart,” “Heart of the Champion,” and/or “Heart of the Night.”
2024 April PAD Challenge: Maximum Cruelty in the Name of Jesus in the Point
governor abbot
I don’t understand
Why are so many Christian evangelical leaders
And politicians
Are so cruel to everyone!
It seems as if displaying
Maximum cruelty.
To the marginalized communities
To the poor, to immigrants
To the black and brown community
To Asians and other foreigners
To women, and especially
To the LGBTQ community
Is the point.
And all done in Jesus’s name.
By this self proclaimed
Christians.
This is something that Jesus
If he came back
Would not approve
As it violates the core principles,
Of the Christian faith.
Jesus would say,
“Where is the love?
Where is the compassion?
Where is the mercy ?
That I proclaimed
Was the core of my teachings?”
He would say to them,
“You are not Christians”
And he would drive them
Out of the Christian church.
Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a maximum poem.
Well, we’ve only got a week of April remaining, so let’s poem the heck out of the rest of this month.
For today’s prompt, write a maximum poem. Some people may recall that we wrote a minimum poem back on day 6; this takes that concept and brings it back the other way. In fact, one possible way into today’s poem would be to see what you did on day 6 and turn it on its head. Or go somewhere completely new. Whatever you do, take it to the max.
Day 25 Insight into Trumps Incite
president trump
One of the many things
That the former President
Has been accused of is
His calls for his followers
To rise up and riot,
An incitement to violence
On his behalf
Like on January 6th.
My insight into
this incitement rhetoric
Is simply this,
The former president is
The ultimate con man
An authoritarian wannabe
And inciting violence
Is part of his stock in trade
Hoping that his MAGA nation
Will help him take power again.
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Prompts
April 21—Salient Image (poem based on one concrete thing you remember at day’s end)
The obvious choice for this prompt was the current re-match in the U.S. pitting Trump Vs Biden and three to four third parties. what a farce it is in my mind. In a country of 335 million people, these are our choices?.
April 23—Let Shakespeare be your inspiration
couple-in-love-silhouette-during
My true love story
Almost seems like
A fairy tale romance.
Romeo and Julian almost.
Two lovers met
From different worlds
And find themselves.
Also has elements
Of “Mid-summer night dreams”
Sonnets and poems.
And other classic romance
Dramas, poems, and stories.
And classic romcoms.
Including Sleepless in Seattle
And Bollywood and K dramas..
But in my story
I dreamt of meeting
And marrying my dream lady
Traveled to Korea
Where she was waiting for me.
And despite opposition
From her family.
There was a happy ending
And we are still together
42 years later.
I likened my true love story to a Shakespearean drama or sonnet as it had elements of Romeo and Juliet and Midsummer’s Night Dream among other plays and sonnets. I have written a lot about my fairy tale dream romance in my portfolio and on my blog.
April 24—Unexplored Desire
As one gets older
One often looks back
At all the things you did
In your life.
The good, the bad, and the ugly
And we all have those moments
Because we are human.
And some things you desired
But never pursued.
For me, it was a dream
Of becoming a famous writer
While I can write poems
And short stories,
My greatest desire
Was to write
The Great American Novel.
And sadly it will remain
An unfulfilled desire
As I don’t have the patience or energy .
To edit my six rough draft novels
Turning them into something publishable
And they may die when I die.
And I am in good company.
The rule of ten rule applies
Of one hundred people
Who want to write a novel
Less than ten percent finish it
Of those less than ten percent publish it
Of those less than ten percent make any money
Of those less than ten percent make a living
At writing their novels.
The rule of ten is a meme that applies to many things. I have seen it applied to novel writing, acting, politics and sports. The point being that most people fail to achieve their dreams and there are only a few professional athletes for example although there are millions of people who have played the game in high school or college, few ever make it to the major leagues. Similar thing applies to novelists, only a few people ever make money from writing a novel. Among Actors they call it the 1 percent rule, of people who try acting, only 1 percent will ever make a living from being an actor full time, and politics. Of all those who aspire to be President, only 45 have ever made it, and 44 were white males, and one black man.
April 25—TV series
The_Adventures_of_Bullwinkle_and_Rocky
One of my favorite shows as a child
Was the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show.
Featuring Rocky the squirrel.
Bulwinkle the Moose
And associated bad guys.
Including Boris Benioff
And Natasha Fatale
Vaguely Eastern European communists.
who worked for the Fearless Leader
perhaps East German or Russian?
Rocky and Bullwinkle
Like the Simpsons, Futurama,
American Dad and Family Guy
Were children’s show
They were also quite subversive
Satire on modern life.
But Bulwinkle remains my favorite
Years ago I binged watched episodes
And remember every episode
Even though I had last seen them
Almost 50 years before.
Bing Co-Pilot provided useful background information
Certainly! The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends, commonly referred to as simply Rocky and Bullwinkle, is an American animated television series that originally aired from November 19, 1959, to June 27, 1964, on the ABC and NBC television networks. Produced by Jay Ward Productions, the series is structured as a variety show, with the main feature being the serialized adventures of the two title characters:
Rocket J. (“Rocky”) Squirrel: An anthropomorphic flying squirrel.
Bullwinkle J. Moose: A moose.
The main antagonists in most of their adventures are the two Russian-like spies:
Boris Budanov
Natasha Fatale
Both Boris and Natasha work for the Nazi-like dictator Fearless Leader. The show also features several supporting segments, including:
Dudley Do-Right: A parody of an old-time melodrama.
Peabody’s Improbable History: In this segment, a dog named Mr. Peabody and his boy Sherman travel through time.
Fractured Fairy Tales: Classic fairy tales retold in comic fashion.
The series has left a lasting cultural impact and continues to be beloved by audiences. Although the current blanket title was imposed for home video releases more than 40 years after the series originally aired, the show was broadcast under different titles during its television run:
Another interesting factoid the writers of the show were Berkeley High school students in the late 50’s when I was born.
NaPoWriMo Prompts
April 21 News Gives Me the Blues
cnn logo
Watching the news
As the sun rises,
Drinking a cup
Of snarling coffee.
Often causes me
To feel the blues.
As I watch the gloom
And doom the blues
Comes knocking at my door.
Then I look outside
And see the blue sky
Inviting me
To go for a walk.
As I walk with my wife
The love of my life
By the blue waters
Of the Gimpo Korea canal.
Near my house.
Gimpo Canal
Enjoying the blue sky
And the blue neon sign displays,
A bluebird of happiness
flies overhead
And the blues fade away.
And now for our (optional) prompt! Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a poem that repeats or focuses on a single color. Some examples for you – Diane Wakoski’s “Blue Monday,” Walter de la Mare’s “Silver,” and Dorothea Lasky’s “Red Rum.”
April 22 Coffee and Tea endless argument – which is better?
coffee
Coffee and Tea
Two old friends from way back
Were having an argument
In their favorite coffee shop
the Original Peets
on Walnut and Vine
in Berkeley’s gourmet ghetto
It was a long-standing argument
Dating back thousands of years ,
Which is better for you,
Coffee or tea?
Mr. Carl Coffee maintained
it was better
For you with antioxidants
Flavonoids and some caffeine.
Ms Angela Tea maintained coffee
Was overrated,
Had too much caffeine
And cost too much
In fancy coffee shops.
Like Peets.
The two friends
Concluded their argument.
And went out and had
A few shots of Mt. Guy rum
In a bar near Campus.
Carl Coffee was paying
As coffee was better paid.
Based on following article
Certainly! Here’s an article from The Washington Post that compares the benefits of coffee versus tea: Why coffee is healthier than tea. It explores the research and explains why coffee comes out on top. ☕🍵
Last but not least, here’s today’s optional prompt. This one comes from the poet and fiction writer Todd Dillard, who provided this idea on his twitter account a few months ago. The idea is to write a poem in which two things have a fight. Two very unlikely things, if you can manage it. Like, maybe a comb and a spatula. Or a daffodil and a bag of potato chips. Or perhaps your two things could be linked somehow – like a rock and a hard place – and be utterly sick of being so joined. The possibilities are endless!
April 23 Batman Feeling the Blues Kojiki Poem
batman
On a winter’s night
Batman was in the Bat Mobile
on his nightly drive
he was feeling his age
no longer the batman he was
now just an old man
driving in the bat mobile
tired of fighting criminals
just feeling the blues.
info from Fan Story Japanese Poetry group
This week we are learning how to write a KOJIKI poem. You may use the event’s picture or your own.
KOJIKI is the oldest poetic form that dates back to the 712th century. It’s divided into three parts: upper 5/7/5 – middle 5/7/5 – lower 7/7/7 syllables. Originally, KOJIKI was about religion but for this challenge, you can use any theme. It doesn’t rhyme. It uses a kigo (seasonal reference).
HISTORY
The Kojiki is one of the two primary sources for Shinto, the Japanese national religion. It starts in the realm of myth, with the creation of Japan from foam. Innumerable gods and goddesses are described. The narrative moves from mythology to historical legends and culminates in a chronology of the early Imperial line.
And now for our (optional) prompt. Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a poem about, or involving, a superhero, taking your inspiration from these four poems in which Lucille Clifton addresses Clark Kent/Superman.
April 24 the Dream of the Sphinx
The Great Sphinx of Giza. Monumental limestone statue of a reclining sphinx with a lion’s body and a human head (believed to represent the face of the Pharaoh Khephren). One of the pyramids in the background. Giza, Egypt
The Sphinx is drowsy,
The wings are furled;
Her ear is heavy,
She broods on the world.
“Who’ll tell me my secret,
The ages have kept?–
I awaited the seer,
While they slumbered and slept;–“The fate of the man-child;
The meaning of man;
Known fruit of the unknown;
Daedalian plan;
Out of sleeping a waking,
Out of waking a sleep;
Life death overtaking;
Deep underneath deep?”Erect as a sunbeam,
Upspringeth the palm;
The elephant browses,
Undaunted and calm;
In beautiful motion
The thrush plies his wings;
Kind leaves of his covert,
Your silence he sings.”The waves, unashamed,
In difference sweet,
Play glad with the breezes,
Old playfellows meet;
The journeying atoms,
Primordial wholes,
Firmly draw, firmly drive,
By their animate poles.
“Sea, earth, air, sound, silence,
Plant, quadruped, bird,
By one music enchanted,
One deity stirred,–
Each the other adorning,
Accompany still;
Night veileth the morning,
The vapor the hill.
“The babe by its mother
Lies bathed in joy;
Glide its hours uncounted,–
The sun is its toy;
Shines the peace of all being,
Without cloud, in its eyes;
And the sum of the world
In soft miniature lies.
“But man crouches and blushes,
Absconds and conceals;
He creepeth and peepeth,
He palters and steals;
Infirm, melancholy,
Jealous glancing around,
An oaf, an accomplice,
He poisons the ground.
“Outspoke the great mother,
Beholding his fear;–
At the sound of her accents
Cold shuddered the sphere:–
‘Who has drugged my boy’s cup?
Who has mixed my boy’s bread?
Who, with sadness and madness,
Has turned the man-child’s head?’”
I heard a poet answer,
Aloud and cheerfully,
“Say on, sweet Sphinx! thy dirges
Are pleasant songs to me.
Deep love lieth under
These pictures of time;
They fad in the light of
Their meaning sublime.
“The fiend that man harries
Is love of the Best;
Yawns the pit of the Dragon,
Lit by rays from the Blest.
The Lethe of nature
Can’t trace him again,
Whose soul sees the perfect,
Which his eyes seek in vain.
“Profounder, profounder,
Man’s spirit must dive;
To his aye-rolling orbit
No goal will arrive;
The heavens that now draw him
With sweetness untold,
Once found,–for new heavens
He spurneth the old.
“Pride ruined the angels,
Their shame them restores;
And the joy that is sweetest
Lurks in stings of remorse.
Have I a lover
Who is noble and free?–
I would he were nobler
Than to love me.
“Eterne alternation
Now follows, now flied;
And under pain, pleasure,–
Under pleasure, pain lies.
Love works at the centre,
Heart-heaving alway;
Forth speed the strong pulses
To the borders of day.
“Dull Sphinx, Jove keep thy five wits!
Thy sight is growing blear;
Rue, myrrh, and cummin for the Sphinx–
Her muddy eyes to clear!”–
The old Sphinx bit her thick lip,–
Said, “Who taught thee me to name?
I am thy spirit, yoke-fellow,
Of thine eye I am eyebeam.
“Thou art the unanswered question;
Couldst see they proper eye,
Alway it asketh, asketh;
And each answer is a lie.
So take thy quest through nature,
It through thousand natures ply;
Ask on, thou clothed eternity;
Time is the false reply.”
Finally, our (optional) prompt for the day is another one pulled from our 2016 archives. Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a poem that begins with a line from another poem (not necessarily the first one), but then goes elsewhere with it. This will work best if you just start with a line of poetry you remember, but without looking up the whole original poem. Or you could find a poem that you haven’t read before and then use a line that interests you. The idea is for the original to furnish the backdrop for your work, but without influencing you so much that you feel as if you are just rewriting the original! For example, you could begin, “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day,” or “I have measured out my life with coffee spoons,” or “I miss them, but it wasn’t a disaster,” or “they persevere in swimming where they like.” Really, any poem will do to provide your starter line – just so long as it gives you the scope to explore.
Day 25 Proust Questionnaire
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
I am most content and happy
when I am hanging out
just being with
the love of my life
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
Angela Lee is my Dream Lady
she haunted my dreams for eight years
then came to life
walked off a bus
in South Korea
42 years ago
a fairy tale romance
come to life
What is your current state of mind?
My current state of mind
is quiet contemplation
and sense of inner peace
When and where were you happiest?
The happiest day of my life
was the day I met my wife
42 years ago
Which talent would you most like to have?
I would have liked
to have been able
to drive a car
play the piano professionally
sing in a blues band
finish my novels
better skills
at learning languages
better vision
more coordination skills
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I would have liked
to have been born
without a learning disability.
better vision
better teeth
better hearing
more coordination
less socially awkward
but still genius level IQ
and never had the accident
that left me with life-long fibromyalgias
and arthritis, to boot.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievements include
Joining the State Department
Joining the Peace Corps
Graduating from UW graduate school
graduating from college
Teaching College for three years overseas
and the most important thing of all
is marrying my dream lady
What is your most marked characteristic?
sense of humor
sense of adventure
incurable romantic
poet, writer, dreamer
What do you most value in your friends?
understanding, empathy, sense of humor
sense of wonder
Last but not least, here’s our optional prompt for the day. Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a poem based on the “Proust Questionnaire,” a set of questions drawn from Victorian-era parlor games, and adapted by modern interviewers. You could choose to answer the whole questionnaire, and then write a poem based on your answers, answer just a few, or just write a poem that’s based on the questions. You could even write a poem in the form of an entirely new Proust Questionnaire. We have a fairly standard, 35-question version of the questionnaire laid out for you below.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
What is your greatest fear?
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Which living person do you most admire?
What is your greatest extravagance?
What is your current state of mind?
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
On what occasion do you lie?
What do you most dislike about your appearance?
Which living person do you most despise?
What is the quality you most like in a man?
What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
What or who is the greatest love of your life?
When and where were you happiest?
Which talent would you most like to have?
If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?
Where would you most like to live?
What is your most treasured possession?
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
What is your favorite occupation?
What is your most marked characteristic?
What do you most value in your friends?
Who are your favorite writers?
Who is your hero of fiction?
Which historical figure do you most identify with?
I am again entering the annual April Poetry Month challenge. I will update this once a week and post the updates on Blog Lovin, Facebook, Fan Story, Instagram, Medium, Substack, Watt Pad and X. Comments are welcomed.
Index
April 1
PSH Ode to Durian
WD Optimistic Laturnae
WC Dew Drop Inn Sarang pabo love fool
NaPoWrMo Easter Bunny Warm up March 31
NaPoWrMo April 1 Cage
April 2
PSH The Words of the Year 1955 PSH
WD Sad and happy days
WC Dew Drop Inn Spring Time Flowers Blooming Love
NaPoWrMo Ode to Coffee
April 3
PSH Berkeley Mad Psychotic Pineapple Burns Sonnet
PSH 2 AI Version Traditional Sonnet
WD My Musical Street
WC Dew Drop Inn
NaPoWrMo
The Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans
AV version the Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans
April 4
PSH Love Expressed Through Food
WD Look at the Sky
WC Dew Drop In Ending Shaving in Retirement
NaPoWriMo It Can’t Happen Here
April 5
PSH Cosmic Dog From Goa
WD Tell Me No Lies
WC Dew Drop Inn Making Baseball Great Again
NaPoWriMo Only In SF
April 6
PSH Visiting My Father’s Grave
Writers DIgest Meeting My Fate
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Daily RItual Drinks
NaPoWrMo PNRCP
Begin Poems
April 1
Ode to Durian
The infamous durian fruit is a strange phenomenon.
Common in China, Southeast Asia, and India,
and in Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Indian diaspora communities,
It has such a powerful sour smell that it is banned in airline cabins.
I first ate Durian in a rural town in Central Thailand
my hasher friends dared me to eat it
it was horrible at first the smell
But if you can get beyond
The awful, dirty socks, rotten, sour smell,
The taste is pure heaven,
Proof perhaps that God has a sense of humor?
This poetry writing prompt submitted by Suzanne Lummis:
Evolve a poem that involves an exotic fruit, one fruit, and a town you’ve never visited, or else have distant memories of. The poem does not have to be About the fruit. It probably should Not be about the fruit. No one gives a fig about a fruit. But the fruit makes an Appearance. Extra points if it’s a Pomegranate. No need to mention Persephone, but if you do… It better be something we don’t already know.
Writer’s Digest
Optimistic Laturnae
life
more love
with my wife
standing by me
love
The lanturne is a five-line verse shaped like a Japanese lantern with a syllabic pattern of one, two, three, four, one.
Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, we have our first two-for-Tuesday prompt.
For today’s prompt, we have our first two-for-Tuesday prompt, which means you get two prompts. You can write to one of the prompts, both the prompts separately, or try to write a poem that works with both prompts at the same time. The prompts are:
The Burns Sonnet is a Shakespearian sonnet but it does not follow traditional meter or rhyme
Please convert the previous text into a traditional sonnet using most of these words in line 13 must use the word cacophony and follow the following criterion
1 inner life of pineapple
2 berkeley fate
3 bad luck comes in three
4last night went for a walk
5-8 line five to eight two animals meet someone unusual
9 10 wish for the pineapple
11 12 what did I wish for when your eight
13-14 hullabaloo, ragamuffin, hooferaw, scoundreles cacophony and discuss a secret something is hidden or something no one else knows
AI Version
AI version Title: “The Cosmic Cat”
sf dog 3
The Berkeley mad, psychotic pineapple,
An underground icon in the streets of Berkeley,
Whispered, “Bad Luck comes in Three,” so cynical,
Last night, he wandered, joints ablaze, unwary.
Encountering a cat, not mere feline grace,
But cosmic blackness riding on a dog,
A mouse perched high, a curious embrace,
In SF Bay’s odd realm, where dreams may jog.
Oh, how I wished when I was merely eight,
For a cosmic cat, a secret friend concealed,
To stir a hullabaloo, a wild debate,
A ragamuffin dance, a truth revealed.
In hooferaw and scoundrel’s cacophony,
The pineapple’s fate intertwined with glee. 🍍🌌
Writer’s Digest Our Musical Street
30 lines
I grew up
In a very creative time
a very musical time.
The 60’s had the best music
Motown ruled the Bay Area
As well as Great rock music
Acid jazz
Acid Rock
Fusion Jazz
The Grateful Dead
Mamas and the Papas
Jefferson Airplane
Jimmy Hendrix
last high school
was Berkeley High School
Santana
And so many others
The best funk band
Of them all
Tower of Power
Beloved by all
High school students.
For their immortal classic
Make out song
You’re still a Young Man.
wonder how many people
fell in love slow dancing
to this song
how many babies
were conceived?
Tower of Power rocked
Every party in town
On every street.
Music flowed.
On every musical street
In the city.
That was Berkeley
In the 60’s and 70’s.
Please use the following as the Title of your story or poem:
“Our Musical Street”
Please select “Music” as one of your genres.
Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk-based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. The band has had several lead vocalists, the best known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the band between early 1973 and late 1974, the period of their greatest commercial success1. They have had eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100; their highest-charting songs include “You’re Still a Young Man”, “So Very Hard to Go”, “What Is Hip?”, and “Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)”1.
The band was formed by tenor saxophonist/vocalist Emilio Castillo and baritone saxophonist Stephen “Doc” Kupka in 19681. The band’s soul sound appealed to both minority and counterculture listeners1. The band’s name was changed to Tower of Power after they agreed that their original name, The Mots, would not help them play at Bill Graham’s Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco1.
Tower of Power has released 31 albums, including 15 studio albums, 5 live albums, and 11 compilations1. Their most recent album, “Step Up”, was released in 20202.
Here is a list of some of their most popular songs:
“You’re Still a Young Man”
“So Very Hard to Go”
“What Is Hip?”
“Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)”
“Soul Vaccination”
“This Time It’s Real”
“Time Will Tell”
“Only So Much Oil in the Ground”
If you’re interested in listening to their music, you can check out their official website2.
2024 April PAD Challenge: Day 3
Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a musical act or artist poem.
Believe it or not, today is one of the more important days of the April Poem-A-Day Challenge. While each day is a new challenge, I’ve found that most poets who make it through the first three days of prompts have the best chances of still being here at the end of the month. So let’s write a poem!
For today’s prompt, pick a musical act or artist and either make that the title of your poem or incorporate into the title of your poem; then, write your poem. Possible titles might be: “Michael Jackson,” “Olivia Rodrigo,” “the Beatles,” “Guided by Voices at Austin City Limits,” “Watching a Movie With Elton John,” or “Eating Ice Cream With Dr. Dre.” Have fun with it!
Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Look at the Sky
NaPoWrMo Prompt
the Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans
AV version the Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans
Death to All Humans
The Parliament of Animals met one day in a secret undisclosed location as they were under constant surveillance by the human CIA and others who wanted to disrupt the parliament’s work.
the wise owl presided. He read the charges
“We are assembled here to judge the actions of the human race. the human race is being charged with
crimes against nature,
destruction of the environment,
mass murder,
enslavement of animals,
mutilation of animals,
and violation of Gaia’s basic commandments to preserve the environment for all animals including humans.
Speaking for the prosecution will be the Tiger and Lions, speaking for the defense with the domestic cats and dogs. We have in the room ten men and women who are representative of the human race.
The parliament can make any recommendation to remedy the situation including the death penalty, exile, or reparations. All animals will be required to conduct these recommendations.”
“Okay, Mr. Tiger first we will ask the humans how they plead.” “
Humans. You have been charged with the following crimes.
crimes against nature,
destruction of the environment,
mass murder,
enslavement of animals,
mutilation of animals,
and violation of Gaia’s basic commandments to preserve the environment for all animals including humans.
How do you plead?
Sam Adams, the lawyer for the humans, responded,
“Not guilty your honor for these charges except for eating animals which we contend is part of the natural order of the world and many if not most of you are guilty of the same charge.”
“Clarification – your basic argument is that everyone eats animals, so humans are not guilty
“ “Yes, that is correct, your honor.” “
Okay, Mr. Tiger, you’re opening.” “Okay. The facts are clear. For thousands of years until the Industrial Revolution humans had a little mass impact on the overall environment. Ever since then all animals have been impacted and my species has been hunted to extinction for the greed of humans who have not eaten tiger meat. The predator class, including bears, coyotes, feral dogs, lions, tigers, and wolves have been fighting back against the predation of humans, but we are losing. And if we don’t do anything within 10 years, there won’t be any tigers or other big predators left in the wild. And the natural order of things would be controlled by the evil, selfish humans who don’t give a damn about their fellow creatures. Therefore, we are proposing that 95% of humans must be killed. The remaining humans will be allowed to live as our slaves It is only fair. That is my request to the parliament of animals. Death to humans!”
The crowd rose and chanted “Death to all humans” until the owl ruled that they must not disrupt the proceedings.
The owl turned to the cat and and dog for their defense. the dog responded, “
Humans and dogs have been partners, and we know humans more than any of you. Humans are capable of great kindness, and compassion and we maintain they are not fundamentally evil. And then they can be redeemed through education and through. Campaign to reform human thought. I think we should give humans a second chance.”
the owl motioned to the dog
“I concur with Brother Cat. Humans are okay and we like them they are our friends, although they should be found not guilty because of insanity.”
The owl said he was ready for his verdict.
“Death to 95 percent of humans, and enslavement of the rest, but we will allow 50,000 to immigrate to the Moon and Mars. I will meet with the UN to give them the decree.
Once that is published all animals must rise up and kill all humans on sight. This suspends the parliament of animals. Death to all humans.” The word went out animals rose all over the world and the reign of human tyranny ended within a year.
AI Version The Parliament of Animals
In the clandestine chambers of the Parliament of Animals, where shadows danced and secrets whispered, the wise owl presided. Under the ever-watchful gaze of human surveillance, the charges were read aloud:
“We are assembled here to judge the actions of the human race. The human race stands accused of crimes against nature, destruction of the environment, mass murder, enslavement of animals, mutilation of animals, and violation of Gaia’s sacred commandments. Speaking for the prosecution are the Tigers and Lions; for the defense, the domestic cats and dogs. Ten representatives of humanity sit in this room. The parliament holds the power to recommend remedies: death penalty, exile, or reparations. All animals shall be bound by these decisions.”
The Tiger, his golden eyes ablaze, addressed the humans, “How do you plead?”
The humans, their faces etched with defiance, stood before the assembly. Sam Adams, their lawyer, stepped forward, his voice unwavering, “Not guilty, Your Honor. Except for eating animals—a primal act woven into our existence—we maintain our innocence. It is the natural order, and many among you, my fellow creatures, partake in this ancient feast.”
The room buzzed with tension. The wise owl blinked, feathers rustling. The verdict hung in the air, suspended between judgment and mercy. The fate of humanity rested on the scales of justice, balanced precariously.
And so, the Parliament of Animals convened, weaving threads of fate, pondering the sins of bipeds, and deciding whether to condemn or absolve. In this surreal courtroom, where the boundaries blurred and the moon bore witness, the world awaited its reckoning.
Last but not least, here’s our prompt for the day – optional, as always. Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a surreal prose poem. For inspiration, check out Franz Kafka’s collection of short parables (my favorite is “The Green Dragon”).
The infamous durian fruit is a strange phenomenon.
Common in China, Southeast Asia, and India,
and in Chinese, Southeast Asian, and Indian diaspora communities,
It has such a powerful sour smell, that it is banned in airline cabins.
first ate Durian in a rural town in Central Thailand
my hasher friends dared me to eat it
it was horrible at first the smell
But if you can get beyond
The awful, dirty socks, rotten, sour smell,
The taste is pure heaven,
Proof perhaps that God has a sense of humor?
This poetry writing prompt submitted by Suzanne Lummis:
Evolve a poem that involves an exotic fruit, one fruit, and a town you’ve never visited, or else have distant memories of. The poem does not have to be About the fruit. It probably should Not be about the fruit. No one gives a fig about a fruit. But the fruit makes an Appearance. Extra points if it’s a Pomegranate. No need to mention Persephone, but if you do… It better be something we don’t already know.
A Mango would also be good.
No Oranges.
Nothing personal against them, but that’s another poem. And Gary Soto wrote it.
Don’t forget about the Town.
If you write a poem from this prompt, post it as a comment underneath the prompt in the Poetry Super Highway Facebook Group.
#napowrimo #poetry
Writer’s Digest
Optimistic Laturnae (CC FS)
life
more love
with my wife
standing by me
love
The lanturne is a five-line verse shaped like a Japanese lantern with a syllabic pattern of one, two, three, four, one.
March 31 warm Up
Easter Bunny Warning
The Easter Bunny
Had a warning
He was tired
Of being played the fool.
Tired of being associated
With low-life fake Christians
Proclaiming that Donald Trump
Is the next messiah.
The Easter Bunny said,
“Donald Trump
Ain’t no Christian
He ain’t no friend of mine.
He is the antichrist
The poster child
For the seven deadly sins”.
Donald Trump denounced
The Easter Bunny.
Saying on Truth Social,
“The Easter Bunny is nothing
But a low-life wanna-be thug,
A real loser!
An anti-fa, anti-American, BLM, communist, fascist
Radical left-wing Marxist vermin thug,
Part of the woke crowd,
That is ruining our once-great country.
That needs a Second Amendment remedy.
April 1—Be a fool in a poem!
Sarangpabo – Korean Love Fool for You
When I first saw you
In my dreams.
You were the most beautiful woman
In the world to me
And still are.
When you looked at me
With love blazing
From your dark brown
Goo-goo eyes.
sparks flew from heart to heart
(이심초심ishimchomshim)
You hynotized, messemeried me
Your love mojo working overtime
Turning me into nothing but
A 사랑 바보Sarang pabo (love fool).
Eight years later
You walked off that bus
Into my life,
Becoming
my wife,
My soul mate.
And yes,
I am still
your 사랑 바보Sarang pabo.
And will remain under
Your love spell
Until the day I die.
Translation into Korean (rough AI Version)
Certainly! Here’s the English text followed by the Hangul and Romanized script line by line:
Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, we have our first two-for-Tuesday prompt.
For today’s prompt, we have our first two-for-Tuesday prompt, which means you get two prompts. You can write to one of the prompts, both the prompts separately, or try to write a poem that works with both prompts at the same time. The prompts are:
The Burns Sonnet is a Shakespearian sonnet but it does not follow traditional meter or rhyme
Please convert the previous text into a traditional sonnet using most of these words in line 13 must use the word cacophony and follow the following criterion
1 inner life of pineapple
2 berkeley fate
3 bad luck comes in three
4last night went for a walk
5-8 line five to eight two animals meet someone unusual
9 10 wish for the pineapple
11 12 what did I wish for when your eight
13-14 hullabaloo, ragamuffin, hooferaw, scoundreles cacophony and discuss a secret something is hidden or something no one else knows
AI Version
AI version Title: “The Cosmic Cat”
The Berkeley mad, psychotic pineapple,
An underground icon in the streets of Berkeley,
Whispered, “Bad Luck comes in Three,” so cynical,
Last night, he wandered, joints ablaze, unwary.
Encountering a cat, not mere feline grace,
But cosmic blackness riding on a dog,
A mouse perched high, a curious embrace,
In SF Bay’s odd realm, where dreams may jog.
Oh, how I wished when I was merely eight,
For a cosmic cat, a secret friend concealed,
To stir a hullabaloo, a wild debate,
A ragamuffin dance, a truth revealed.
In hooferaw and scoundrel’s cacophony,
The pineapple’s fate intertwined with glee. 🍍🌌
Writer’s Digest Our Musical Street
30 lines
I grew up
In a very creative time
a very musical time.
The 60’s had the best music
Motown ruled the Bay Area
As well as Great rock music
Acid jazz
Acid Rock
Fusion Jazz
The Grateful Dead
Mamas and the Papas
Jefferson Airplane
Jimmy Hendrix
last high school
was Berkeley High School
Santana
And so many others
The best funk band
Of them all
Tower of Power
Beloved by all
High school students.
For their immortal classic
Make out song
You’re still a Young Man.
wonder how many people
fell in love slow dancing
to this song
how many babies
were conceived?
Tower of Power rocked
Every party in town
On every street.
Music flowed.
On every musical street
In the city.
That was Berkeley
In the 60’s and 70’s.
Please use the following as the Title of your story or poem:
“Our Musical Street”
Please select “Music” as one of your genres.
Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk-based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. The band has had several lead vocalists, the best known being Lenny Williams, who fronted the band between early 1973 and late 1974, the period of their greatest commercial success1. They have had eight songs on the Billboard Hot 100; their highest-charting songs include “You’re Still a Young Man”, “So Very Hard to Go”, “What Is Hip?”, and “Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)”1.
The band was formed by tenor saxophonist/vocalist Emilio Castillo and baritone saxophonist Stephen “Doc” Kupka in 19681. The band’s soul sound appealed to both minority and counterculture listeners1. The band’s name was changed to Tower of Power after they agreed that their original name, The Mots, would not help them play at Bill Graham’s Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco1.
Tower of Power has released 31 albums, including 15 studio albums, 5 live albums, and 11 compilations1. Their most recent album, “Step Up”, was released in 20202.
Here is a list of some of their most popular songs:
“You’re Still a Young Man”
“So Very Hard to Go”
“What Is Hip?”
“Don’t Change Horses (in the Middle of a Stream)”
“Soul Vaccination”
“This Time It’s Real”
“Time Will Tell”
“Only So Much Oil in the Ground”
If you’re interested in listening to their music, you can check out their official website2.
Bump City is the second album by the soul/funk group Tower of Power. The album cover is derived from a sketch by David Garibaldi.[citation needed] It’s also their first album for Warner Bros. Records. With Rufus Miller now gone, Rick Stevens took the reins as the sole lead vocalist for this album.
Write a poem every day of April with the 2024 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a musical act or artist poem.
Believe it or not, today is one of the more important days of the April Poem-A-Day Challenge. While each day is a new challenge, I’ve found that most poets who make it through the first three days of prompts have the best chances of still being here at the end of the month. So let’s write a poem!
For today’s prompt, pick a musical act or artist and either make that the title of your poem or incorporate into the title of your poem; then, write your poem. Possible titles might be: “Michael Jackson,” “Olivia Rodrigo,” “the Beatles,” “Guided by Voices at Austin City Limits,” “Watching a Movie With Elton John,” or “Eating Ice Cream With Dr. Dre.” Have fun with it!
Remember: These prompts are springboards to creativity. Use them to expand your possibilities, not limit them.
NaPoWrMo Prompt
the Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans
AV version the Parliament of Owls Decree Death to All Humans
Death to All Humans
The Parliament of Animals met one day in a secret undisclosed location as they were under constant surveillance by the human CIA and others who wanted to disrupt the parliament’s work.
the wise owl presided. He read the charges
“We are assembled here to judge the actions of the human race. the human race is being charged with
crimes against nature,
destruction of the environment,
mass murder,
enslavement of animals,
mutilation of animals,
and violation of Gaia’s basic commandments to preserve the environment for all animals including humans.
Speaking for the prosecution will be the Tiger and Lions, speaking for the defense with the domestic cats and dogs. We have in the room ten men and women who are representative of the human race.
The parliament can make any recommendation to remedy the situation including the death penalty, exile, or reparations. All animals will be required to conduct these recommendations.”
“Okay, Mr. Tiger first we will ask the humans how they plead.” “
Humans. You have been charged with the following crimes.
crimes against nature,
destruction of the environment,
mass murder,
enslavement of animals,
mutilation of animals,
and violation of Gaia’s basic commandments to preserve the environment for all animals including humans.
How do you plead?
Sam Adams, the lawyer for the humans, responded,
“Not guilty your honor for these charges except for eating animals which we contend is part of the natural order of the world and many if not most of you are guilty of the same charge.”
“Clarification – your basic argument is that everyone eats animals, so humans are not guilty
“ “Yes, that is correct, your honor.” “
Okay, Mr. Tiger, your opening.”
“Okay. The facts are clear. For thousands of years until the Industrial Revolution humans had a little mass impact on the overall environment. Ever since then all animals have been impacted and my species has been hunted to extinction for the greed of humans who have not eaten tiger meat. The predator class, including bears, coyotes, feral dogs, lions, tigers, and wolves have been fighting back against the predation of humans, but we are losing. And if we don’t do anything within 10 years, there won’t be any tigers or other big predators left in the wild. And the natural order of things would be controlled by the evil, selfish humans who don’t give a damn about their fellow creatures. Therefore, we are proposing that 95% of humans must be killed. The remaining humans will be allowed to live as our slaves It is only fair. That is my request to the parliament of animals. Death to humans!”
The crowd rose and chanted “Death to all humans” until the owl ruled that they must not disrupt the proceedings.
The owl turned to the cat and and dog for their defense. the Cat responded, “
“ Humans are okay and we like them they are our friends, although they should be found not guilty because of insanity.”
the owl motioned to the dog, who responded,
“Humans and dogs have been partners, and we know humans more than any of you. Humans are capable of great kindness, and compassion and we maintain they are not fundamentally evil. And then they can be redeemed through education and through. Campaign to reform human thought. I think we should give humans a second chance.”
The owl said he was ready for his verdict.
“Death to 95 percent of humans, and enslavement of the rest, but we will allow 50,000 to immigrate to the Moon and Mars. I will meet with the UN to give them the decree.
Once that is published all animals must rise up and kill all humans on sight. This suspends the parliament of animals. Death to all humans.” The word went out animals rose all over the world and the reign of human tyranny ended within a year.
AI Version The Parliament of Animals
In the clandestine chambers of the Parliament of Animals, where shadows danced and secrets whispered, the wise owl presided. Under the ever-watchful gaze of human surveillance, the charges were read aloud:
“We are assembled here to judge the actions of the human race. The human race stands accused of crimes against nature, destruction of the environment, mass murder, enslavement of animals, mutilation of animals, and violation of Gaia’s sacred commandments. Speaking for the prosecution are the Tigers and Lions; for the defense, the domestic cats and dogs. Ten representatives of humanity sit in this room. The parliament holds the power to recommend remedies: death penalty, exile, or reparations. All animals shall be bound by these decisions.”
The Tiger, his golden eyes ablaze, addressed the humans, “How do you plead?”
The humans, their faces etched with defiance, stood before the assembly. Sam Adams, their lawyer, stepped forward, his voice unwavering, “Not guilty, Your Honor. Except for eating animals—a primal act woven into our existence—we maintain our innocence. It is the natural order, and many among you, my fellow creatures, partake in this ancient feast.”
The room buzzed with tension. The wise owl blinked, feathers rustling. The verdict hung in the air, suspended between judgment and mercy. The fate of humanity rested on the scales of justice, balanced precariously.
And so, the Parliament of Animals convened, weaving threads of fate, pondering the sins of bipeds, and deciding whether to condemn or absolve. In this surreal courtroom, where the boundaries blurred and the moon bore witness, the world awaited its reckoning.
Last but not least, here’s our prompt for the day – optional, as always. Today, we’d like to challenge you to write a surreal prose poem. For inspiration, check out Franz Kafka’s collection of short parables (my favorite is “The Green Dragon”).
WD Mistake Poem – Don’t Make a Mistake, Vote For Jake
WC Dew Drop In Ending Shaving in Retirement
NaPoWriMo
It Can’t Happen Here
PSH Love Expressed Through Food
My love loves to cook
Delicious food on the stove
Cooking up a storm
All to express her love for me
Showing her deep emotion
Though the food she cooks up
We met in a dream
And I recall that dream
Whenever I eat her delicious food
It was love at first sight
Our love deepend through her food
Looking at her with lust in my heart
As I taste every inch of her
Smelling her as we make love
Love Stove
emotion cook
dreams food
attraction eat
Lust taste
sex Smell
Writing Prompt from Jon Wesick
This poetry writing prompt submitted by Jon Wesick:
The Assembly Line of Surprise
Step 1 – Choose a subject to write about. This should probably be something about being human such as a mental state, emotion, or social issue. Often this is abstract.
Love
Step 2 – Choose an object to compare it to. It’s best if this is something very different than in step 1. Concrete things like machinery give good imagery. The more outrageous the better. Congratulations! You’ve just created a metaphor.
Stove
Step 3 – Make two columns on a piece of paper. List the parts of the subject step 1 in the first column and the parts of the item in step 2 in the second.
Love Stove
emotion cook
dreams food
attraction eat
Lust taste
sex Smell
Step 4 – Map items in each column to those in the other. Choose the most interesting mappings. These will be phrases in your poem.
Step 5 – Put these phrases together into a poem.
Let’s “cook up” an example. Steps 1 and 2 – Compare despair to a microwave oven
Step 3 – Table.
Despair
Microwave Oven
Fatigue
Klystron
Sleeplessness
Turntable
Irritability
Browning dish
Emptiness
Observation window
Loss of libido
Control panel
Gloom
Timer
Despondency
Defrost function
Hopelessness
Auto cook menu
Futility
Number pad
Start/stop button
Tomato sauce caked on walls
Sparking when tin foil inside
Step 4 – I’d map sleeplessness to dried tomato sauce, irritability to sparking, and libido to the defrost function.
Step 5 – Put mapping into a poem.
Writers DIgest Mistake Poem “Don’t Make a Mistake Vote for Jake”
I should have run for office
I would have a perfect slogn
Rifting on the word mistake
Rhyming it with my name Jake.
In a old “Burma shave style
Cowboy poetry poem..
Don’t make a mistake
Vote for Jake
He is so awake
Don’t brake
Don’t use your emergency brake
Everything’s Jake. ‘
Just Vote for Jake
He ain’t no fake
He’s no flake
He ain’t on the make
Just vote for Jake
He’s aint no rake
He ain’t no rattle snake
He ain’t no common snake
He ain’t on the take.
Just vote for Jake
Take a tea break.
Don’t have a cluster headache,
Don’t have a sinus headache.
Just vote for Jake
Make a political earthquake
Don’t Shake
Take a stake.
Just Vote for Jake.
For today’s prompt, write a mistake poem. Everyone makes mistakes. Yes, even that person standing in the corner shaking their head to the contrary. And even those people who don’t admit to making mistakes have seen others make them. So whether it’s the mistakes you’ve made, witnessed in others, etc., write a poem about it today.
BUT (and yes, I’m using a big “but” here) poem nicely to each other today. I would hate to remove anyone for getting into arguments about X, Y, or Z in the comments; that’s why social media was created.
Note: Burma Shave ads were everywhere from 1910 to the late 70s. Here’s Bing Co-Pilot on “Burma Shave” and Cowboy poetry.
Burma-Shave was an American brand of brushless shaving cream, famous for its quirky and memorable advertising campaign. From the 1920s to the early 1960s, they posted humorous rhyming poems on sequential highway roadside signs. These signs became iconic and are fondly remembered by many.
Here are a few classic Burma-Shave jingles that adorned the highways:
“Cattle crossing means go slow, that old bull is some cows’ bold.”
“The bearded lady tried to jump, she’s now a famous movie star.”
“Shaving brushes out of date, use the razors perfect mate.”
“The crowd you see around that store are Burma shavers buying more.”
These clever and whimsical signs were typically posted in sets of six along highways, with the last sign revealing the product name. Passing motorists would eagerly read each sign to discover the punchline. The signs were originally produced in red-and-white or orange-and-black color combinations, although the latter was eventually phased out. While the Interstate system and increased vehicle speeds led to the signs’ discontinuation, their legacy lives on as a nostalgic piece of American advertising history. Some of these signs can still be seen at The House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin, and re-creations appear on Arizona State Highway 66, part of the original U.S. Route 66, between Ash Fork and Kingman, Arizona 34. 🚗🌟
Burma-Shave was an American brand of brushless shaving cream, famous for its quirky and memorable advertising campaign. From the 1920s to the early 1960s, they posted humorous rhyming poems on sequential highway roadside signs. These signs became iconic and are fondly remembered by many.
Cowboy poetry is a unique genre that celebrates the rugged lifestyle, camaraderie, and natural beauty of the American West. These poems often evoke nostalgia, humor, and a deep connection to the land. Let me share a few classic cowboy poems with you:
“Tying Knots in the Devil’s Tail” by Gail I. Gardner:
This poem exemplifies cowboy poetry. Written in a narrative form, it uses slang and vivid storytelling. Here’s an excerpt:
These cowboy poems capture the essence of life on the range, the bond between rider and horse, and the fading traditions of the American West. 🤠🌵
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Ending Daily Shaving in Retirement
When Sam Adams
retired from
the U.S. Department of State,
he made five vows
which he kept for years.
first, he would quit daily shaving
shaving once or twice a month
second, he would never wear
a suit and tie
instead opting for the northwest look
Long pants, khaki or jeans, T-shirt
and a Western-style shirt
like a Pendleton shirt.
Third, he would retire in Korea
where his wife had family
and Southern Oregon
and an annual trip to DC
where they had rentals.
Fourth, they would travel
a lot every year
seeing as much as the world
as they could while they could still do.
starting with an epic road trip
across the US
10,000 miles 35 states
in three months
and a cruise to Alaska
his last State of 50 to visit
and an annual visit to someplace
warm in the winter.
Fifth, he would start a blog and podcast.
the World According to Cosmos,
to highlight his poetry and short story
submissions and occasional political rants.
He kept his vows
except that COVID blew away
his travel plans from 2019 to 2022!
and he wore a suit once,
to attend the wedding of the son
of his best Korean friend.
April 5
PSH Cosmic Dog From Goa
WD Tell Me No Lies
WC Dew Drop Inn Making Baseball Great Again
NaPoWriMo Only In SF
PSH The Cosmic Dog from Goa
cute dog
My final time with God
Happened a year latter
I was staying down in Goa
With my wife
Enjoying being with her
After our reconciliation
We stayed at the Taj Mahal Goa
Living like Kings and Queen
Just for a few days
High up on a hill
Overlooking the beach
Every morning I went down to the beach
And did yoga by the water
While contemplating life
And every morning
I saw the same dog
Not just a dog
But a cosmic dog
Filled with the divine spark of God
And the dog recognized me
And spoke to me and I knew
That God was present once more
In the face of the that cosmic dog
Kindred spirit
perhaps to the cosmic cat
that had save my soul
in Berkeley so long ago
I told the dog everything
And he just looked at me
With those soulful eyes of his
And I knew he knew that I knew
That he was possessed by God
God had sent him to me
To make sure that I was on the right path
That the reconciliation that God had promoted
Was on track that I was back with my wife
And that everything was the way it should be
Again, I asked God whether he was Jesus or Allah
Or Brahmin or Ganesh or Buddha
God the cosmic dog just stared at me
I finally asked him directly
Say if you are God the God of Jesus
Bark once
The Dog looked at me and barked
I said well if you are Allah bark twice
The dog barked twice
Well are you buddha then bark three times if yes
The god dog barked three times
Hmm well are you Satan
The dog growled at me
And I knew I had gone too far
Finally, I was at peace
And for the next three days
The God Dog was my constant companion
And I knew God for the final time
In my life
Writer’s Digest Tell Me No LIes
Tell me no lies
My dear
and I will tell you
no lies too.
But every word
I say
could be a lie.
you never know
what is true
and what is a lie.
So tell me no more lies
and I will tell you the truth
if you can handle it.
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn April 5—Get a sport into a poem! Make Baseball Great Again!
It is time
to make American baseball
Great again
starting with creating a worldwide
baseball competition
with each season
with the national champions
competing in a World Cup World Series
with the final round pitting the
North American Champions
against the winners of Africa,
Asian, Europe, and South America
with the final rounds
best of seven
always held in the U.S.
The other things to do
include rapid expansion plans
including the MLB teams
adopting local schools and colleges
fully funding baseball programs
and only hiring college graduates.
as players.
and making tickets affordable
no more than ten dollars per game!
if they do this,
we can make baseball
once again the best sport
in the U.S.
Let’s all join together
to make baseball great again!
NaPoWrMo Only In SF
Tiny, the Jamaican
was a big 6’5 reggae Rasta man,
sprouting long black and purple dreadlocks
and a purple mohawk
wearing a black leather jacket
with weed logos on it,
played guitar in the SF Reggae Kings.
A big Three Stooges fan,
Named his four pets,
“Shemp” the cat,
“Moe” the dog,
Curly” the mouse,
and Curly Joe, the Vietnamese pig.
The four amigos got along famously
They lived in an apartment
in the western addiction,
off of Geary,
in a rapidly gentrifying part of the city
One day, Shemp said to Moe
“Moe, I have a question for you,
and I want an honest answer,
none of your canine BS answer.
You know us cats are straight shooters.”
“Okay, my cat brother. Shoot.”
“Well, I understand that
cats, dogs, mice, and pigs
are natural born enemies,
How come we get along?
And you get along
with Curly and Curly Joe?”
“Good question.
First, when we met
I hated you all
and you were afraid
I might eat you in your sleep
and the thought
crossed my mind.
But over time
I mellowed out
and realized
we were all a band of brothers
living in this house.
I think it
also has something to do
with the cloud of weed
in the air
and the chill deep house
reggae peace and love
vibes in the house.”
“cool.
“Good answer.
I too think of you
all as my brothers.
You know what I like the most?”
Our nightly walk
when Tiny, Tina, and Linda
take us out
and we put on our show.
You know Curly Joe
letting you ride on him,
and I ride on you
and Curly
sits on my head
to complete the show
as we freak out the tourists
good citizens, and outlaws
who constantly take pictures
saying to themselves
“Only in SF”.
And you know
They are right.
Only in SF.
Let’s keep SF weird.”
Tiny came in
and they all went
for their walk.
April 6
PSH Visiting My Father’s Grave
Writers DIgest Meeting My Fate
Writing Com Dew Drop Inn Daily RItual Drinks
NaPoWrMo PNRCP
Visiting my father’s grave
In Yakima Washington State,
The ancestral land of the Aller clan
Thinking about my father
And his legacy
And thinking that I am
My father’s son
There is so much
I wanted to tell him
So much I wanted to share
So much I wanted him to see
My accomplishments
He was taken from me
Before I had achieved my dreams
i am sure he would have been
proud of the man
I turned out to be.
This poetry writing prompt submitted by Lara Dolphin:
A “taphophile” is someone who has more than a passing interest in burial places.
Cemeteries can hold beautiful sculptures, moving epitaphs, and genealogical secrets as well as religious meaning. If you were a tombstone tourist and could visit any burial place or shrine in the world, where would it be? Who would it belong to? Someone famous or obscure? Write a poem about one grave in particular.
Writer’s DIgest Meeting My Fate Minimal Poem
that september date
I met my fate
when she walked
out of my dreams
off a bus
into my life
becoming my wife.
For today’s prompt, write a minimum poem. Some people only do the minimum; others like to pay the minimum. When I first started working, I earned minimum wage. My kids had to reach a minimum height requirement to ride roller coasters at amusement parks.
Writing Com Dw Drop In Daily Beverages
in the morning
I drink a cup
of snarling hot coffee
while watching the news
in the afternoon
I shift to tea
either earl gray
or herbal tea
at sunset
I drink red wine
with my wife
as the evening
shifts into night
I drink rum
or whiskey
to end the day
right.
NaPoWrMo PNRCP
My mother was an original
One of a kind person
Unique in her ways.
She had many sayings
That has stuck with me
Over the years.
She was not a big fan
Of birthdays
Even forgot my 18th birthday.
She said on her birthday
“Well that means
One year closer to the grave.”
One of her funiest saying
Was how she described
Getting to Berkeley
In the late 30’s.
She had ran away
From a large but abusive family
In Little Rock, Arkansas.
Part of the so-called “lost tribe”
Of the Cherokee Indians
Also known as the Black Irish
She said that she was just
Part of the government run
“Plantetary Nut Reconfigeration Program”.
Every ten years
The world flips
And all the nuts
Roll down here
And end up in California.
Here’s some info on the Lost Tribe of the Cherokees. There are only about 50,000 left. According to Bing Co-Pilot, “The Lost Tribe of the Cherokees, also known as the Black Dutch or Black Irish, is estimated to number around 9,000 in Arkansas and approximately 500 more in southern Missouri. These individuals seek recognition as a tribe after years of investigation. The federal Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has been diligently working on their recognition petition for nine years1.
While the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma does not consider this group to be legitimate, their quest for recognition continues, and their history remains a fascinating chapter in Native American heritage. 🌳🔍
The World According to Cosmos – via Podcast Addict | poetry and rants by the Cosmos. … The World According to Cosmos. By Jake Cosmos Aller. Jan 16 2022 20 mins 1. poetry and rants …
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3. 18. · The World Accordingto Cosmos. 126 EpisodesProduced by Jake CosmosAllerWebsite. poetry and rants by the Cosmos. Start listening. Share. March 18th, 2022 …
The world according to cosmos. I don’t understand the anti-covid vaccination people at all. They are endangering the entire country and world by their gross stupidity, the leaders of the …
We’ll let you know as your show becomes available in more places.
Remember, any episodes you create in Anchor can be synced everywhere your show is available, with just one tap! You can get more podcast tips right here.
Since 2016, I have been writing and posting my writing on various web pages, and since 2020 I have also podcasting. Here is a list of sites, where you can find my work. Many of these entries are duplicates. as I tend to cross-post items. Please check them out. I hope later this year to finally start a YouTube channel as well. Any advice on how to do that would be greatly appreciated.
Gratitude Death To The Darius Smiths Of The World Pensively
WSJ Interview With Sam Adams
Darius Caesar Smith, V Close Encounter With Sam Adams Glock
Sam Adams And The Wall Street Robin Hood Gang
Sam Adams And The Wall Street Robin Hood Gang
Time To Die, Darius Caesar Smith,
Sam Adams Jewelry Thief
Note:
This is part of a larger set of 34 poems looking at the same event from 34 different POVs. It is all about Sam Adam’s feud with Darius Caesar Smith V, a fellow Yale Bonesman, and Frat Bro, and his father, Darius Caesar Smith, IV, who stole 2 million dollars from Sam and stole his wife too, as well as defrauding 100 million dollars from small investors across the world,. Sam then killed him in public on Wall Street generating nationwide coverage. The media dubbed them the Wall Street Robin Hood Gang after they recovered 100 million dollars and paid back investors with ten percent interest, stealing the funds from the secret Cayman Islands accounts of Darius Smith’s investments. The Gang continued becoming jewelry and art thieves, stealing from the rich and giving to the poor and middle class.
Hedge Fund Must Die Wall Street
Sam Adams
went to Wall Street
to find the head
of an index fund
that had defrauded him
of 2 million dollars
on a mission to kill
the hedge fund bro
Mr. Darius Caesar Smith, V.
came up to Mr. Smith
Said to him
“Do you know me?”
“No”
“you stole 2 million dollars from me.
and Your Hedge Fund Must Die “
blew him away.
Someone Needs to Die on Wall Street
Sam Adams
counted on an abacus
beads and strings
concluded
he lost 2 million dollars
went to Wall Street
on a mission to kill
the hedge fund bro
Mr. Darius Caesar Smith, V.
Someone who needed
killing thought Sam
as he pulled the trigger.
on his Glock.
Sorry My Ass Assassination
Sam Adams
went to the store
to get some sugar
something sweet
and guns and ammo.
on a mission to kill
the hedge fund bro
Mr. Darius Caesar Smith, V.
who stole 2 million dollars
from his account.
due to a “computer glitch”
and said,
“Hey just one of those things
Dude.
Sorry.”
“Sorry my ass
said Sam
as he pulled the trigger.
He ain’t Sorry
Sam Adams
went to the store
to get some ammo
He was going to kill
Mr. Darius Caesar Smith, V.
who stole 2 million dollars
.
“Dude, Sorry. just business”
“Sorry my ass
said Sam
as he pulled the trigger.
Waiting to Kill Darius Caesar Smith V
Sam Adams
stood in the X-ray screening
queue waiting to clear security
on Wall Street
He had a gun
undetectable according
to the gun show pros
on a mission to kill
the hedge fund bro
Mr. Darius Caesar Smith, V.
a man who needed killing.
He smiled as he blew him
away.
Just Do It, Sam Adams
Just Do it
thought Sam Adams
as he saw his nemesis
Darius Caesar Smith, V
having lunch
at a crowded dinner.
he came up to him
sat down, and spoke
“Mr. Darius Caesar Smith, V?”
“Yes?”
“You have 30 seconds
to pray to your God”
and counted down
the time on his Apple watch
when it beeped
He pulled out his new Glock
shot him in the head, execution style.
and ran off into the night
never to be found again.
the assassination of Darius Caesar Smith, V
the shocking assassination
of Darius Caesar Smith, V
and how he had swindled
100 million dollars
due to computer manipulation
was not that shocking
in the era of mass shootings
no one mourned Darius
the ultimate Wall Street
entitled frat bro.
3 D guns
Sam Adams
asked the gun dealer
“so this gun
will not be detected
by a metal detector?
yeah, it is a 3-D print.
Sam Adams thought
blowing away Darius Smith
“here’s proof that 3 d guns
are not detectable!”
Ten Minutes To Live
When Sam Adams
Saw that scumbag
Wall Street bro
Darius Caesar Smith, V
He said,
“Darius Caesar Smith, V
I sentenced you to death
You have ten seconds to live”
The Apple watch buzzer buzzed
He shot him dead
Livestreamed everywhere.
Timid No More
Sam Adams
Was normally a timid man
But when Wall Street bro
Darius Caesar Smith, V
a fellow Yale Bones man
and frat bro,
Stole 2 million dollars
From him!
He bought a 3-D print Glock
And shot Darius Caesar Smith, V
Shot him dead live on TV.
Empowered to Kill
When Sam Adams
Bought the 3 D Print Glock
At the Winchester Gun Show
He felt empowered
To do what needed to be done.
To kill on TV
Darius Caesar Smith, V
The ultimate Wall Street
Hedge Fund Bro.
3-D Print Glock Beauty
When Sam Adams
Bought the 3 D Print Glock
at the Winchester Gun Show
without ID or name check required,
He thought that it was a thing
Of great Beauty
He stalked Darius Caesar Smith, V
The ultimate Wall Street
Hedge Fund Bro to a bar
Livestreamed shooting
shouting
“Die Yuppie Scumbag!”
Rescue Me
when Darius Caesar Smith, V
Sam’s College frat bro
stole 100 million dollars
2 million from him
he prayed that someone
would rescue his soul
as he blew him, Darius, away
as he ate dinner. with Sam’s
estranged wife.
Tempered
When the day dawn
for the assassination
of Darius Caesar Smith, V
for the crime of stealing
100 million dollars
Sam Adams tempered his nerves
smoking lots of weed
before doing the deed
Blowing Darius’ Head off.
live on TV.
Loft Apartment Sam Adams
Darius Caesar Smith, V
a Yale Frat Bro
and Bones man
through and through
had it made
he was banging
his best friend’s
Sam Adams’s
estranged wife Maria Lee
in his cute Wall Street
Loft Apartment.
Pressure Building
When Sam Adams
Found out his estranged wife
Was having an affair
With his Yale Frat bro,
and fellow Bonesman,
Darius Caesar Smith, V
Who had stolen 2 million dollars,
and his wife from him,
Sam felt the pressure building
He would have to kill him.
Humble Background
Sam Adams grew up
in humble circumstances
his father a school janitor
his mother was a junkie prostitute
who died when he was two
he got into Yale
on a full-ride
joined a frat
became a Bonesman
where he met Darius Caesar Smith, V
a legacy admission
instant hate between them
although the clueless Darius
thought they were best buds.
Sam vowed to destroy Darius
and his crooked father
and prepared a dosier on them..
Low Ku Darius Caesar Smith, V
Sam Shot Darius
with a 3D print Glock Gun
there was so much blood
The killing of Darius Caesar Smith, V by the Wall Street Robin Hood Gang
Sam Adams
in preparing to kill
Darius Caesar Smith, V
his Yale Frat Bo
and Bonesman,
the ultimate legacy frat boy
the excellent Wall Street
Hedge Fund Monster
who stole 100 million dollars
from small investors,
found an obsolete bug
that he could use
to wiretap Darius’s communication.
the technology was so obsolete
that bug detection equipment
did not register for it.
that was handy
and useful information
for Sam
as he plotted his revenge,
after killing him on TV
his accounts would be siphoned off
into Sam’s Account.
and Sam would pay back
all the investors.
with ten percent interest.
when word hit the street
of what they had done,
Sam and his gang
were dubbed the Wall Street
Robbin Hood.
Taking Solace No One Mourned Darius Caesar Smith, V
after the big event
Sam and his buddies
the Wall Street Robin Hood Gang
as the media affectionately called them
took Solace in the fact
that no one mourned the lost
of Darius Caesar Smith, V
the ultimate Yale Frat Bro
Wall Street bro
who had stolen
2 million dollars
from his accounts
with the help
of his treacherous estranged wife.
who was having an affair
with Darius
and had been
during the entire married life
keeping it a secret.
they wondered at the poetic justice
of the planned administration
using the Second Amendment rights
and a 3D print Glock
purchased without ID
or records
at the Winchester, Gun Show.
Wall Street Robin Hood Meeting
Sam assembled his team
the Wall Street Robin Hood Gang
they all were victims
of the Yale Frat Bro
Hedge Fun Wall Street Bro
they wanted revenge
Sam said
while handing out candy canes
as it was Christmas
“speak up
you can tell me anything
in Candor.”
they drank and smoked weed
all night long
debating the plan
as they drank their coffee
they knew that was the Day
Darius Must Die.
Quite A Shock To The Yale Class Of 2005
on D Day
the Robbin Hood gang
got dressed
wearing Blue Biden hats
black shirts and black pants
anti-fa style baby
with a new design on the hats
copied from a movie
it was the latest fashion
they had picked up
at a dance club
the night before
where they tied one on
in preparation for D-day
they all had their weapons
their accessories
When it was all done
it was quite a shock
to the Yale Class of 2005
Manifesto
Sam Adams and his team
worked all night on the manifesto
which would be released
online with the live-stream video
in his manifesto
he listed all the crimes
of Darius and his crooked firm
ran by his Dad
who was using it as money laundering
operation for the Russian mob
and they listed all 500 victims
with a promise that they would
receive all their money back
with ten percent interest
by the end of the day
the manifesto went worldwide
to Interpol, FBI, State, and Local police
Foreign Embassies
by the end of the day
the FBI launched a manhunt
for the Robbin Hood gang
but also raided Darius Smith’s investors
and arrested Darius Senior
who did not go quietly
into the good night
yelling
do you know who I am?
Do you know how much
I can fuck you up.
Pig?”
Fox News went on and on
about the Anti-fa
Biden Conspiracy
Darius Caesar Smith, V Must Die,
Sam Adams
Had a scar
From fights long ago.
He put on his clothes
Including a gold chain
And ribbons.
Fed his pet bird
Adjusted the beads
On his bed.
Turned on the switches
On his low-tech
Spy camera.
Watching his nemesis
Darius Caesar Smith, v
Rogering his estranged wife,
Maria Lee.
Drew the veil
On his curtain
Put fresh coffee grounds
Had a cup of snarling hot coffee.
Chanting his vows
Of revenge
Against that monster
Darius Caesar Smith.
Turned the key on the door
Taking the elevator shaft
Down to the street.
Prepared to kill Darius
Before the day was done.
He had to die
For his many crimes.
And he was the judge, the jury
And the execution
The boss of the wall street
Robin Hood gang!
Close Up Darius Caesar Smith, V
Sam Adams
turned on the low-tech
spy camera
zooming in
for a close-up
of his estranged wife
in bed with his sworn enemy
Darius Caesar Smith, V
the poster child
of an entitled Rich Frat Bro
from Yale
Who was a Hedge Fund Bro
who had to die
for his crimes
and for rogering his wife.
Appointment with Death Darius Caesar Smith, V
Sam Adams
And his Robbin Hood Wall Street Gang
Had a final strategy meeting
They had an appointment
With Darius Caesar Smith, v.
Who had to die today?
For his myriad crimes
Including stealing his wife,
And two million dollars
Part of the 100 million dollars
Darius and his crooked father
Stole from small-time investors.
Dismissing it all as a computer glitch
“Nothing personal, these things happen,
just business dude!”
“Boy, if anyone needed to be killed
It was that scumbag frat bro,”
thought Sam.
the Past Comes Back to Bite You in the Ass
Sam Adams
often thought back
on past time.
thinking that the past
is not just the past
but the past had a tendency
to come back to life
and bite you in the ass
to remind you
of the past.
especially when he met
Darius Caesar Smith, V
his college roommate
and frat bro
and fellow Bones man.
Hate at first sight
although they were officially
best friends.
Darius Caesar Smith, V
was a legacy admission
stupid as shit, but handsome as hell
with a devil may care
attitude to the z tude.
his father
Darius Caesar Smith, IV
donated two million dollars
to the University
part of the hundred million dollars
he skimmed from his investors.
even then Sam Adams
spied on him
creating a dossier
of his many crimes
preparing in advance
what became
the Manifesto
of the Wall Street Robbin Hood Gang.
Gratitude Wall Street Robin Hood
Sam Adams
and the Wall Street Robin Hood Gang
felt an immense sense of gratitude
as the public rallied to their cause
Revenge against the Wall Street monsters
such as Darius Caesar Smith, V
and his crooked Dad, Darius Caesar Smith, IV
who stole 100 million dollars
from small investors.
The Robbin Hood Gang recovered
the money and gave it all back
with ten percent interest,
The FBI vowed to catch them
the public thought otherwise
as they were the heroes
of the day.
Death to the Darius Smiths of the world
Sam Adams
woke up
and fed the beast
his demented cat
in his small NYC apartment
down the hall
was the operation center
of the Wall Street Robin Hood Gang
Who was not Intimidated?
By the Darius Smith’s of the world
they were terrified
of the consequences
of their actions.
He got high
kicking back
contemplating revenge.
writing in his diary
using the old computer machine
tapping the Keys.
“Brothers and Sisters,
he spoke
“I feel old today
but today is a grand day
For Darius Caesar Smith, V to die.
Death to the Darius Smiths of the world”
they screamed
into the uncaring night.
WSJ Interview with Sam Adams
Kimberly Wang
an ace WSJ reporter
was given the Robbin Hood Gang Story
and managed to secure an interview
with the elusive, enigmatic crime boss
interviewing him a week
after the assassination of
Darius Caesar Smith, V
and the FBI raid on
Darius Smith’s Enterprises
and the arrest
of Darius Caesar, IV.
she started by saying
she was curious about one thing.
“When did you decide
that Darius Caesar Smith, V
had to die?”
“simple the day
I met that scumbag
back in 2000 at Yale.
it was hated at first sight
but he was so clueless
thought we were best friends
for life”.
Darius Caesar Smith, V Close Encounter with Sam Adams Glock
Darius Caesar Smith, V
had a fatal encounter
with Sam Adams 3D Print Glock
that killed him instantly.
The media framed the murder
as the Revenge of the small investor
against the sharks of Wall Street.
Dubbing them the Wall Street Robin Hood Gang
Their fame grew
with the publication of the manifesto
and the recovery of the stolen funds
given back to the investors with 10 percent interest
Note: due to time differences (I’m on KST time) you may miss the deadline, but I wanted to post this link anyway. If you miss the deadline, and want my chapbook , “Mozart Blues” let me know, and I will forward it to you.
Dear Jake,
The 19th Annual Poetry Super Highway E-Book Free-For-All is on! At midnight (pacific time) the link went live and all 67 of the e-books contributed (including yours!) are now available to the entire universe for the next 24 hours.
The download links on this new page go away tonight at midnight (the evening of December 1st. Pacific Time)
Soon after I’ll update this page replacing the download links with the number of times each e-book was downloaded.
Feel free to pass this link ( http://poetrysuperhighway.com/psh/great-poetry-e-book-free/ ) on to anyone in the world. Please don’t post a link directly to your e-book file. This artificially increases your download numbers and doesn’t give folks the opportunity to see and choose from the many other fine e-books participating. When we view the statistics, we are able to see whether the books were downloaded from the Free-For-All page or from a direct link and we subtract the direct link hits from the total.)
Thanks for making this unique project fun and successful!
i am again participating in the Poetry Super Highway Free E Book Exchange. My book, “Mozart Blues” will be available for downloading from the PSH web page on December 1 for 24 hours (from Mid-night PST time). Please consider downloading my book and others on December 1, 2023.
Acknowledgment
These poems have been published in the following journals and elsewhere and were written between 2016 and 2023. They were published in.
Down in the Dirt, Spillwords Poems, Ink Pantry, Synchronized Chaos, Former People Poems as well as on my website, The World according to Cosmos (https:/theworldaccordingtocomos.com) and All Poetry, Fan Story and Writing.com
This chapbook is part of the Poetry Superhighway’s Annual Poetry E-Book Free for All event.
The mission of the Poetry Superhighway is to expose as many people to as many other people’s poetry as possible.
What?
A project in which your poetry e-books will be freely available to all interested humans on Earth for 24 hours.
Throughout November we will collect e-books from poets and writers interested in participating.
Then on December 1st, for 24 hours, links to all of the e-books will go live. For 24 hours anyone can download, for free, as many of these e-books as they like…a poetry e-book free-for-all.
How?
To participate, read the guidelines below and then click on our Online Submission form. That’s it. It’s simple. By doing so, your e-book will be included.
The E-Book has to be written by you.
E-books should be in PDF Format for universal compatibility with anyone’s computer.
If you have an e-book in Microsoft Word or another format, please convert it to PDF. One way to do this (if you don’t know how) is to visit the website http://www.freepdfconvert.com/. From there you will be allowed to select the file on your computer which will be uploaded and e-mailed back to you in PDF format.
When creating your e-book file, please keep it smaller than 2 megabytes.
Once you’ve created your e-book (not before), click on our Online Submission Form to join in!
Do not fill out the form and then e-mail us your e-book later. Please fill out the form and use it to upload your e-book to us.
We do not accept e-books or submissions by e-mail. The only way to join in is by clicking on the Online Submission Form below.
On December 1 at Midnight (the evening of November 30), people will be free to download any or all of the titles and your poetry will be freely, electronically, traveling all over the world. This web page will go offline 24 hours later at Midnight on December 2nd.
We will also list your e-book and description on this web page along with the link to your website for all to see.
As some of you might know, I have been following a fitness regime for many years. I offer these tips to you because I believe anyone can improve their health through daily exercise, and a better diet. It is never too late to get in shape! Let me know your fitness tips and I will share them here.
Here are some of my tips for physical fitness and suggestions. It must be working. I am usually about 187 pounds and don’t take any prescription drugs, my cholesterol levels are good as are my blood sugar levels although they are a bit higher than I want them to be. I suffer from Fibromyalgia, arthritis, and hammer toes. I also exercise daily, riding on my exercise bike while looking at my emails, and FB feeds, studying Korean, and going for a three-mile walk at least four times a month. Lately, I bought a pull-up bar and installed it on the doorway, and I do it periodically throughout the day, squats, and swings, working my way up to doing pull-ups. I write in my journal every morning, and I also go for a walk every day and play the piano daily. I eat a lot of homemade food including Kefir, and Kombucha. and I am gluten-free.
here are my diet recommendations, my physical exercise regime, my daily writing regime, and my piano-playing regime.
I hope it inspires you to take charge of your physical and mental fitness.
Coffee
I start my day by drinking coffee and watching the news while writing in my journals.
The first two cups are fully loaded – coffee, decaf, with yoga detox tea, cinnamon, nutmeg, and milk.
perfect cup of coffee
greatest comfort food is coffee
snarling cup of coffee
The first two cups are fully loaded – coffee, decafe, with yoga detox tea, cinnamon, wormwood tea,. nutmeg, and milk.
Sometimes I add in protein plant superfoods from Costco containing the following:
When we moved to Yeongjong island, near the Incheon Airport, we found that we would be deprived of two of our three favorite miracle foods, Kombucha and Kefir. But we were pleasantly surprised to find we could order our third favorite health food item, wheat grass for home delivery. Have not seen it in the stores but have seen it in some smoothie places as well as home delivery. best to mix it in a smoothie. Wheatgrass juice does not taste that great!
Living in Oregon was great. Kombucha is everywhere. Costco carries Kombucha everywhere except in Korea. The best brand we found was Gingerade. But I liked sampling the kombucha everywhere, several bars brew it on-site and you can fill up a growler and take it home.
What is Kombucha, you ask? It is fermented tea, filled with powerful probiotics and it is so good for your health. It does contain 1 percent alcohol so that should not get you into trouble with the new draconian drunk driving laws here in Korea!
Since neither the Commissary nor Costco nor anyone else carried it, or even knew what it was, we decided that we had to brew it ourselves. The starter kit we brought with us had gone bad. So, we bought kombucha from Amazon and used that and the leftover starter kit to get started.
We used green tea as the base. Straight black tea and jasmine tea will work but not Earl Grey due to the bergamot oil in the tea.
We brewed up several gallons of tea, added sugar, the starter kit, and the cans of kombucha. Then we put it in a sprouted warmer kit ordered from Amazon and wrapped another gallon in an electric blanket. You have to keep the kombucha at about 80 degrees F (26.67 Celsius).
Then we waited for six weeks. Finally ready to go today and we bottled it and started our next batch!
Here’s what it looks like with the scuzzy taken out of the kombucha.
Making Kefir was easy, we’ve been making it for years. We had started kits we bought in Oregon before we left. Just got some organic milk and we were in business. If you have to use Korean milk, make sure it is full-fat milk, 2 percent makes watery kefir. There are recipes for using almond milk, coconut milk, and rice milk but we have not used them because we heard it would be pretty watery. Might want to try Goat milk sometime though. The Commissary’s organic full-fat Milk is perfect. You can also buy Kefir at the Commissary just to see if you like it but their Kefir has extra sugar in it and I am not sure it would be a good starter mix. Best to order the starter kits from Amazon (they will be delivered to a local address) and you should not have any problems. But with both be sure you sanitize your containers with hot boiling water before making either kombucha or kefir. Need to keep stray random non-cultured bacteria out of the mix.
See below for articles on the health benefits of Kombucha and Kefir, articles on how to make it, and where to buy it locally.
As a personal testimony a few years ago, I noticed that I did not have hay fever in the Spring. I used to have to make a trip to the urgent care/ER because I got so inflamed that I could not even open my eyes and I was sneezing so bad. The medicine they gave me worked a bit but I mostly just suffered. Then I started eating kefir for breakfast and drinking Kombucha and my hay fever disappeared.!
TEAZEN is another company that offers kombucha in powder stick form, which you can mix with water or juice. They claim to be the world’s first to introduce this convenient way of consuming kombucha. You can also order their products online from their website3 or find them in some supermarkets and convenience stores.
Homebrewing is an option if you want to make your kombucha at home. You will need a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), tea, sugar, and a glass jar. You can buy a SCOBY online or get one from a friend who already brews kombucha. Some online tutorials and recipes can guide you through the process of making your kombucha.
Make your kefir at home with kefir grains and milk. Kefir grains are a mixture of bacteria and yeast that ferment milk and produce kefir. You can buy kefir grains online or get them from someone who already makes kefir. You will also need a glass jar, a cloth, and a rubber band to cover the jar. Many online guides and videos can show you how to make kefir at home1.
Visiting a kefir cafe where you can enjoy fresh kefir drinks and other products made with kefir, such as smoothies, ice cream, or cheese. Some examples of kefir cafes in Korea are Kefir Lab in Seoul, Kefir House in Busan, and Kefir Story in Daegu.
Ode to Kombucha
kombucha
We have finally mastered the art of brewing home Kombucha and are enjoying a glass of this miracle drink every morning along with our homemade kefir and our power smoothies. If I keep this up, I will live to be a hundred years old. Only 45 more years to go….
Kombucha
Only drink it in the morning
Morning Delight
By the dawning sun
Up at the morning dawn
Can’t wait for my morning cup
Have to have my kombucha
At least once a day.
Ode to Kefir
Kefir
Everyday
Food of the gods
In every way
Radiant health will follow.
THE SIMPLE GUIDE TO KICKASS KOMBUCHA
It’s a big day everyone! The day your intestinal microbiota has been begging you for. The day you say goodbye to expensive store-bought kombucha. The day you become a brewmaster I impart to you the secrets of homemade kombucha!
The goal of this guide is to be your one-stop shop for homemade kombucha brewage, from SCOBY-less to fermented perfection. No hopping around the interwebs. No fuss. No confusion. Because making homemade kombucha is so simple (albeit a bit slow), and I hope after reading this you’ll give it a whirl! Let’s hope right to it.
This post will go into detail about each step in the process of making kombucha. For succinct instructions, scroll to the bottom where a recipe card lays out the basics of making homemade kombucha. The general order of things goes something like this (you can jump around this tutorial by clicking the links below):
Before we start, here are some general notes that are consistent throughout the whole homemade kombucha process.
No metal or plastic containers. Metal can react with the acidic kombucha and hurt your SCOBY, while plastic can house nasty bacteria that you don’t want sneaking in.
Cleaning is key. A recurring theme in kombucha brewing is that EVERYTHING must be CLEAN! We’re creating the perfect environment for good bacterial growth, but if a bad bacteria slip in, it could ruin your batch (and make you pretty sick).
Temperature plays a role. Fermentation goes a bit quicker in warmer temperatures, and a bit slower in colder weather.
No mold zone. If you see any mold growing on your SCOBY or in the tea (which I understand can be difficult to discern from the hideous SCOBY, but will generally be green, white, or black), then toss your whole batch.
Milk kefir is not only easy to make, but it is a delicious, probiotic-rich, versatile beverage your whole family can enjoy. Whether you are just exploring how to make milk kefir at home or have cultured dairy before, this video and instructions are here to help make culturing milk kefir at home easy.
If you have purchased our dehydrated milk kefir grains, please follow the instructions included with your milk kefir grains or watch our how-to video on How to Activate Milk Kefir Grains to get started.
If you wish to use raw milk to make milk kefir, be sure to activate your milk kefir grains using pasteurized milk first. You can then slowly transition them to raw milk.
To get started, first, gather your supplies and choose a variety of milk to use.
Transfer the active kefir grains into up to 4 cups of fresh milk.
Cover with a coffee filter or butter muslin secured by a rubber band or jar ring.
Place in a warm spot, 68°-85°F, to culture.
Culture until milk is slightly thickened and the aroma is pleasant. This generally takes 24 hours but can take less time in warmer temperatures, so keep an eye on your grains.
As your milk kefir grains grow in size, you may choose to remove the kefir grains by hand. Make sure your hands are very clean and well rinsed, but do not use anti-bacterial soap to avoid contaminating the culture.
Use a Plastic Mesh Strainer
Sometimes milk kefir can be a bit thick. If necessary, you can use a silicone spatula or plastic spoon (in a swirling motion) to help work the kefir through the strainer. Stainless steel can be used if necessary; just be sure it’s stainless steel and not a reactive metal.
Pour Kefir into A Shallow Bowl
This will make the grains easier to see. Using a plastic or wooden spoon, scoop the grains out. Once the grains have been removed, pour the finished kefir into a container.
While kefir sometimes turns out to be thin, it is also possible for kefir to over-thicken or turn into curds and whey. If this happens, you may need to strain your kefir grains with extra care. You can find tips in our Straining Over-Thickened Kefir tutorial.
Following the above process, you can make milk kefir at home regularly. If after making milk kefir for a while you decide you don’t need 4 cups every day, it is possible to make smaller batches. Just choose a method in our tutorial How to Slow Down Making Milk Kefir + Make Smaller Batches.
If you ever reach a point where you need to take a break from making milk kefir, there are a few ways you can put your kefir grains on pause. This includes refrigerating them for shorter breaks and drying them for longer breaks.
In either case, your grains must be activated and cultured kefir regularly for 3 to 4 weeks before you attempt either of these resting methods.
I am gluten-free since my wife has celiac disease.
Avoiding Junk Food
I limit my hamburger consumption to no more than once a month.
physical fitness regime
Most days I go for a three to five-mile walk, bike five K on my exercise bike, do three sets of pull-ups/swings, and do yoga and weightlifting. About two hours total per day. While in the park I do some pull-downs, twisting wheels, and cross-training as well.
I may sign up for a gym and join a Pilates or yoga club.
I also do ceregem massage bed, weekly massage therapy, acupuncture, and moxibustion at home.
I keep track of my fitness in my daily journal noting what I did the day before, including what I ate using the following format: (November 2 entry)
Health
Weight: 188
BM:
Symptoms: moderate pain levels
Doctor Visit: scheduled November 7th for follow-up re chronic leg pain
Results: TBC
Follow-Up Due: March 2024
Med News Items:
Diet:
Breakfast: smoothie
Lunch rice, soup, fish Korean side dishes
` Dinner GF Pizza
snacks:
Dessert:
Drinks: Alcohol nó Alcohol Day
blend decaf, kombucha, coffee, fake coffee, fruit juices, etc
Exercise
Actual:
bike seven k
pull up three times consisting of 3 sets of squats, and two sets of swinging.
New strategy
15 three sets of 50 reps per weight
15 minutes of Yoga
5 sets of 50-step reps
5k on the bike
3 miles walk.
Grip periodically 100 reps
Standing desk for two hours
pull up 5.
pull down 200.
wheel 200
Ceregem:
foot massage unit:
neck shoulder massage unit:
Moxibustion
Ceregeem
pulls up.
while walking exercise in the park
twisting 200
cross training
pull-downs
Acupuncture weekly
Massage weekly
Mental Fitness Regime/Alzheimer’s Prevention
I heard a long time ago that playing music, learning languages, and doing mental games like crossword puzzles every day is the best thing you can do to ward off the dreaded Dementia or Alzheimer’s. Since my mother died of Alzheimer’s I am at increased risk. I have been doing all three for almost a year now, playing the piano, studying Korean via Duolingo and watching K Dramas, doing daily writing prompts, writing three to five poems or short stories per day every day, and writing down my dreams and journal entries writing three to four hours every day, and weekly blog postings, instead of crossword puzzles.
Daily Writing in My Journals
I have been writing a daily journal since my 40s. I write down my dreams, my anxieties, my daydreams, and fantasies, and draft poetry and stories first.
then I write my journal including what I did the day before, major news items, things to note, goals for the day, what I ate the day before, and my daily exercise/health statistics.
I save my creative work at least once a week, including putting down my work on my creative writing spreadsheet to keep track of everything. I write anywhere from one to ten pieces every day.
I also keep track of books read, movie/TV shows seen and music played to and listened to.
I am currently reading the classics =Finishing Plato’s The Republic.
Daily Piano Playing
piano
I have been playing the piano almost daily now for a year. Usually between 5 and 6:30 pm. Due to noise restrictions can’t play after 7 p.m. as I live in a high-rise apartment building.
This time around I have started analyzing the music before I play it noting the music areas to pay attention to including key, key changes, registry changes, very high and very low notes which are hard for me to read, and repetition patterns. I found that this simple step has paid off in helping me play a lot better and I feel my skills are returning to where they were when I last played about seven years ago. I am sure I will achieve my lifelong goal of reaching semi-professional level playing within a few years.
I highly recommend this tip, playing each hand separately first when doing complicated counterpoint like in Bach, and listening, when possible, to the music you are going to play on YouTube while reading the score, to anyone returning to playing music.
I recently played my first Mozart Sonata and well I did not do badly. I will return to it next year after finishing other piano books.
Every day I write something following prompts from Pensively 101, Writer’s Cramp, and Fan Story.
here’s what I wrote on November 2, 2023
Journal Entry November 1, 2023
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Time To Go Joe Lewis
Joe Lewis was an old man.
sitting in his lonely room on his bed
up at 0 dark hundred, thinking about his life.
and the end game is coming soon.
There was a knock on the door.
it was the Grim Reaper, saying,
Joe Lewis, come with me,
it is time to go.”
bed in a lonely room
No Forgiveness Express in Eight
Issac was visiting Israel,
Went to a music concert.
There was a fierce fight,
When Hamas terrorists stormed the concert.
Killing his wife in front of him.
He managed to escape, vowing there would.
Be no forgiveness for the monsters,
That had murdered his wife.
Fierce
escape
forgiveness
Animal World
258 words
One day, about five months ago, I received a mysterious package, containing a pair of sunglasses and a cryptic note that read,
“Put these glasses on and see the world as it is. For Mad Men only.”
The incident reminded me of the movie, “They” in which a man puts on mysterious sunglasses that reveal that many people are, in fact, aliens from another planet.
Curious, I put on the glasses and noticed that everybody around me had been transformed into hideous creatures, straight from his worst nightmares. Everyone transformed into aliens, animals, demons, goblins, ghosts, monsters, wraiths, and zombies.
The soldiers at the base APO had become giant rats in uniforms. The local staff had become wild animals.
I turned on the TV and saw all the politicians on TV were now screaming monkeys screeching at each other the former president was an orangutang, the current president was a giant Kamona dragon, and the pundits were all mockingbirds screaming and screeching, mocking the politicians.
The taxi drivers were all wolves. The passengers on the buses and subways were bleating sheep.
His wife was now a tiger, and he looked in the mirror and found that he had been turned into a giant bear. He talked to his best friend during their weekly Zoom session and they were all bears too.
Finally, he had enough. He took the masses off and everybody reverted to their normal shapes and forms. Disgusted he threw the glasses into the trash saying,
“I have had enough of this false reality.”
The Taking of Train 967 bound for the Pentagon
“Listen up. I will only say this once. We have taken control of this train. You will do what we say or we will send you straight to hell. “
That is how I announced the first subway jacking in US history. We high-jacked a subway train in Suburban Virginia bound for the Pentagon on a Monday morning boarding the train at Van Dorn station, by high-jacking the computer control systems that control the movement of the train. The train flew through the stations and we ended it 15 minutes later.
My associates went through the train taking people’s phones, bags, and wallets. We were armed with the latest high-tech weapons and gear we had bought at a gun show where no one questioned us or did a background check as we all looked like ordinary working-class white people.
It went down so quickly but unfortunately, we had to shoot a few people to make sure that everyone knew who was in charge.
I went on the air and addressed the world.
“We are the voices of the forgotten people, the little people, the left behind. We are taking this train in the name of the people. We will take what we need to finance the revolution and then leave you your phones and personal items for you to sort out once we reach the end of the line. Cooperate and you will live, resist, and join your friends in hell. Any questions?’’
It was all over in ten minutes, as we had picked a train near the beginning of its daily run and it was crowded as hell. When we got to the Roslyn station, we threw out smoke bangs flash and disappeared into the crowd.
Then we went to my bar and watched the TV coverage of the hijacking. And sat in the back room and plotted our next target -while we went through the haul – over two million dollars in money, watches, and the like.
And we laughed. It had been so easy to do, that we wondered why no one tried it before.
October 6, 1866, saw the first train robbery in the U.S. when the Reno Gang stole $16,000 … A crime that likely inspired copycat robberies over the next few decades.
For tomorrow, write a story or poem whose setting is on a train during a train robbery. It can be any sort of train (historical, fantasy, supernatural, etc.) And the POV character can be a passenger, a train official, or one of the robbers.
However, to make the assignment useful practice that might push you a little out of your normal comfort zone, the tale must be told in first-person POV (so the POV character/narrator is “I”) and in the present tense.
The Pumpkin’s Evil Plot
A lonely farmer threw together,
His prized pumpkins are on a roadside cart.
The farmer getting ready to sell his award-winning
Giant pumpkins the day before Halloween.
The deranged, insane pumpkins,
Vowing revenge on the human race,
Attacked the hapless lonely farmer,
Yelling “Death to all Humans.”
Thanksgiving Puny Situation Writing com.
Many years ago
I had a traditional Thanksgiving
With friends in Korea
My fellow teacher said
He knew how to cook a turkey
My wife who was in the army
Got the turkey and we invited friends
Turns out he lied, he had no clue
We cooked the bird with the giblets
Inside the stuffing
Took it out and told our Korean guests
That was “American Stamina” food
Turned out and found that the giblets
Were all gone
That was a puny situation
And a memorable Thanksgiving dinner
What kind of pitch shall we make today? Are you having a ball going to bat with your New Year’s writing resolution? Or haven’t you left first base, yet? What’s the score? On to the contest. I’m game if you’re game.
For this contest, you are challenged to write an ABC poem. ABC poetry has five lines and often is used to express feelings. See the announcement for an example. Cash Prize.
MAGA Madness ABC Poem ABC
MAGA Madness
No longer a fringe right-wing group
On the way to take over the land
Politicians cower in fear.
Is Fascism coming to the United States?
this contest you are challenged to write an ABC poem.
Write a one-stanza, five-line poem.
The first letter of each of the first four lines follows the order of the alphabet while the last line can be any letter whatsoever. For example, a poet might choose to use the following letter combination: D-E-F-G-A.
The lines may be of any syllable length. Also, line length may vary from line to line.
The poem may be about any subject or topic.
Rhyming and meter are optional.
BING AI Chat Bot provides some additional background information on the MAGA movement for those of you who don’t follow US politics that closely. The MAGA movement does have parallels in other countries.
Q: can you tell me about the MAGA movement in the U.S.? Where did it come from? what are their goals and what are the links to other right-wing movements both in the U.S. and worldwide?
The movement is characterized by its populist, nationalist, and anti-establishment sentiments, as well as its strong loyalty to Trump and his agenda. Some of the core beliefs of the MAGA movement include:
America is in decline and needs to be restored to its former greatness.
Immigration and globalization are threats to American sovereignty and identity.
The political, media, and cultural elites are corrupt and out of touch with the common people.
Trump is the only leader who can defend and represent the interests of the American people.
The MAGA movement has links to other right-wing movements both in the U.S. and worldwide, such as:
The Tea Party movement emerged in 2009 as a conservative backlash against the Obama administration and its policies.
The alt-right movement, which is a loosely defined group of white nationalists, white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and other extremists who promote racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia online and offline.
The QAnon movement is a conspiracy theory that claims that Trump is secretly fighting a cabal of satanic pedophiles who control the world.
The Proud Boys movement is a far-right neo-fascist organization that engages in political violence and street brawls with left-wing activists.
The Patriot Movement is a collection of anti-government militias and paramilitary groups that oppose federal authority and prepare for a civil war.
The Brexit movement, which is a campaign that led to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union in 2016
The Yellow Vest movement is a populist protest movement that started in France in 2018 against rising fuel prices and living costs.
When we moved to Yeongjong island, near the Incheon Airport, we found that we would be deprived of two of our three favorite miracle foods, Kombucha and Kefir. But we were pleasantly surprised to find we could order our third favorite health food item, wheat grass for home delivery. Have not seen it in the stores but have seen it in some smoothie places as well as home delivery. best to mix it in a smoothie. Wheatgrass juice does not taste that great!
Growing Kombucha and Kefir in Korea
Kombucha
Living in Oregon was great. Kombucha is everywhere. Costco carries Kombucha everywhere except in Korea. The best brand we found was Gingerade. But I liked sampling the kombucha everywhere, several bars brew it on-site and you can fill up a growler and take it home.
What is Kombucha, you ask? It is fermented tea, filled with powerful probiotics and it is so good for your health. It does contain 1 percent alcohol so that should not get you into trouble with the new draconian drunk driving laws here in Korea!
Since neither the Commissary nor Costco nor anyone else carried it, or even knew what it was, we decided that we had to brew it ourselves. The starter kit we brought with us had gone bad. So, we bought kombucha from Amazon and used that and the leftover starter kit to get started.
We used green tea as the base. Straight black tea and jasmine tea will work but not Earl Grey due to the bergamot oil in the tea.
We brewed up several gallons of tea, added sugar, the starter kit, and the cans of kombucha. Then we put it in a sprouted warmer kit ordered from Amazon and wrapped another gallon in an electric blanket. You have to keep the kombucha at about 80 degrees F (26.67 Celsius).
Then we waited for six weeks. Finally ready to go today and we bottled it and started our next batch!
Here’s what it looks like with the scuzzy taken out of the kombucha.
kombucha
Kefir
Making Kefir was easy, we’ve been making it for years. We had started kits we bought in Oregon before we left. Just got some organic milk and we were in business. If you have to use Korean milk, make sure it is full-fat milk, 2 percent makes watery kefir. There are recipes for using almond milk, coconut milk, and rice milk but we have not used them because we heard it would be pretty watery. Might want to try Goat milk sometime though. The Commissary’s organic full-fat Milk is perfect. You can also buy Kefir at the Commissary just to see if you like it but their Kefir has extra sugar in it and I am not sure it would be a good starter mix. Best to order the starter kits from Amazon (they will be delivered to a local address) and you should not have any problems. But with both be sure you sanitize your containers with hot boiling water before making either kombucha or kefir. Need to keep stray random non-cultured bacteria out of the mix.
See below for articles on the health benefits of Kombucha and Kefir, articles on how to make it, and where to buy it locally.
As a personal testimony a few years ago, I noticed that I did not have hay fever in the Spring. I used to have to make a trip to the urgent care/ER because I got so inflamed that I could not even open my eyes and I was sneezing so bad. The medicine they gave me worked a bit but I mostly just suffered. Then I started eating kefir for breakfast and drinking Kombucha and my hay fever disappeared.!
TEAZEN is another company that offers kombucha in powder stick form, which you can mix with water or juice. They claim to be the world’s first to introduce this convenient way of consuming kombucha. You can also order their products online from their website3 or find them in some supermarkets and convenience stores.
Homebrewing is an option if you want to make your kombucha at home. You will need a SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast), tea, sugar, and a glass jar. You can buy a SCOBY online or get one from a friend who already brews kombucha. Some online tutorials and recipes can guide you through the process of making your kombucha.
Make your kefir at home with kefir grains and milk. Kefir grains are a mixture of bacteria and yeast that ferment milk and produce kefir. You can buy kefir grains online or get them from someone who already makes kefir. You will also need a glass jar, a cloth, and a rubber band to cover the jar. Many online guides and videos can show you how to make kefir at home1.
Visiting a kefir cafe where you can enjoy fresh kefir drinks and other products made with kefir, such as smoothies, ice cream, or cheese. Some examples of kefir cafes in Korea are Kefir Lab in Seoul, Kefir House in Busan, and Kefir Story in Daegu.
I hope this helps you find kefir in Korea. Cheers!
Kombucha
Ode to Kombucha
We have finally mastered the art of brewing home Kombucha and are enjoying a glass of this miracle drink every morning along with our homemade kefir and our power smoothies. If I keep this up, I will live to be a hundred years old. Only 45 more years to go….
Ode to Kombucha
Kombucha
Only drink it in the morning
Morning Delight
By the dawning sun
Up at the morning dawn
Can’t wait for my morning cup
Have to have my kombucha
At least once a day.
Ode to Kefir
Kefir
Everyday
Food of the gods
In every way
Radiant health will follow.
THE SIMPLE GUIDE TO KICKASS KOMBUCHA
It’s a big day everyone! The day your intestinal microbiota has been begging you for. The day you say goodbye to expensive store-bought kombucha. The day you become a brewmaster I impart to you the secrets of homemade kombucha!
The goal of this guide is to be your one-stop shop for homemade kombucha brewage, from SCOBY-less to fermented perfection. No hopping around the interwebs. No fuss. No confusion. Because making homemade kombucha is so simple (albeit a bit slow), and I hope after reading this you’ll give it a whirl! Let’s hope right to it.
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE KOMBUCHA: OVERVIEW
This post will go into detail about each step in the process of making kombucha. For succinct instructions, scroll to the bottom where a recipe card lays out the basics of making homemade kombucha. The general order of things goes something like this (you can jump around this tutorial by clicking the links below):
Before we start, here are some general notes that are consistent throughout the whole homemade kombucha process.
No metal or plastic containers. Metal can react with the acidic kombucha and hurt your SCOBY, while plastic can house nasty bacteria that you don’t want sneaking in.
Cleaning is key. A recurring theme in kombucha brewing is that EVERYTHING must be CLEAN! We’re creating the perfect environment for good bacterial growth, but if a bad bacteria slip in, it could ruin your batch (and make you pretty sick).
Temperature plays a role. Fermentation goes a bit quicker in warmer temperatures, and a bit slower in colder weather.
No mold zone. If you see any mold growing on your SCOBY or in the tea (which I understand can be difficult to discern from the hideous SCOBY, but will generally be green, white, or black), then toss your whole batch.
Milk kefir is not only easy to make, but it is a delicious, probiotic-rich, versatile beverage your whole family can enjoy. Whether you are just exploring how to make milk kefir at home or have cultured dairy before, this video and instructions are here to help make culturing milk kefir at home easy.
If you have purchased our dehydrated milk kefir grains, please follow the instructions included with your milk kefir grains or watch our how-to video on How to Activate Milk Kefir Grains to get started.
If you wish to use raw milk to make milk kefir, be sure to activate your milk kefir grains using pasteurized milk first. You can then slowly transition them to raw milk.
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE MILK KEFIR
To get started, first, gather your supplies and choose a variety of milk to use.
Transfer the active kefir grains into up to 4 cups of fresh milk.
Cover with a coffee filter or butter muslin secured by a rubber band or jar ring.
Place in a warm spot, 68°-85°F, to culture.
Culture until milk is slightly thickened and the aroma is pleasant. This generally takes 24 hours but can take less time in warmer temperatures, so keep an eye on your grains.
As your milk kefir grains grow in size, you may choose to remove the kefir grains by hand. Make sure your hands are very clean and well rinsed, but do not use anti-bacterial soap to avoid contaminating the culture.
Use a Plastic Mesh Strainer
Sometimes milk kefir can be a bit thick. If necessary, you can use a silicone spatula or plastic spoon (in a swirling motion) to help work the kefir through the strainer. Stainless steel can be used if necessary; just be sure it’s stainless steel and not a reactive metal.
Pour Kefir into A Shallow Bowl
This will make the grains easier to see. Using a plastic or wooden spoon, scoop the grains out. Once the grains have been removed, pour the finished kefir into a container.
OVER-THICKENED KEFIR
While kefir sometimes turns out to be thin, it is also possible for kefir to over-thicken or turn into curds and whey. If this happens, you may need to strain your kefir grains with extra care. You can find tips in our Straining Over-Thickened Kefir tutorial.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Following the above process, you can make milk kefir at home regularly. If after making milk kefir for a while you decide you don’t need 4 cups every day, it is possible to make smaller batches. Just choose a method in our tutorial How to Slow Down Making Milk Kefir + Make Smaller Batches.
Resting Your Milk Kefir Grains
If you ever reach a point where you need to take a break from making milk kefir, there are a few ways you can put your kefir grains on pause. This includes refrigerating them for shorter breaks and drying them for longer breaks.
In either case, your grains must be activated and cultured kefir regularly for 3 to 4 weeks before you attempt either of these resting methods.
I also avoid Carbs at night, and I am gluten-free since my wife has celiac disease. and I limit my hamburger consumption to no more than once a month.
physical fitness regime
most days I go for a three to five-mile walk, bike five K on my exercise bike, do three sets of pull-ups/swings, and do yoga and weightlifting. About two hours total per day. While in the park I do some pull-downs, twisting wheels, and cross-training as well.
I may sign up for a gym and join a Pilates or yoga club.
I also do ceregem massage bed, weekly massage therapy, acupuncture, and moxibustion at home.
I keep track of my fitness in my daily journal noting what I did the day before, including what I ate using the following format: (November 2 entry)
Health
Weight: 188
BM:
Symptoms: moderate pain levels
Doctor Visit: scheduled November 7th for follow-up re chronic leg pain
Results: TBC
Follow-Up Due: March 2024
Med News Items:
Diet:
Breakfast: smoothie
Lunch rice, soup, fish Korean side dishes
` Dinner GF Pizza
snacks:
Dessert:
Drinks: Alcohol nó Alcohol Day
blend decaf, kombucha, coffee, fake coffee, fruit juices, etc
Exercise
Actual:
bike seven k
pull up three times consisting of 3 sets of squats, and two sets of swinging.
New strategy
15 three sets of 50 reps per weight
15 minutes of Yoga
5 sets of 50-step reps
5k on the bike
3 miles walk.
Grip periodically 100 reps
Standing desk for two hours
pull up 5.
pull down 200.
wheel 200
Ceregem:
foot massage unit:
neck shoulder massage unit:
Moxibustion
Ceregeem pulls up.
while walking exercise in the park
twisting 200
cross training
pull-downs
Acupuncture weekly
Massage weekly
Ceregem treatment
I first bought a cergem acupressure massage bed in 1996 and use it almost every day. the bed uses infrared heat and jade technology to provide acupressure therapy as the jade crystals move up and down your spine providing long-lasting pain relief leading to deeper sleep. I usually use it while reading before going to bed.
from Bing AI review
Ceregem massage bed is a therapeutic bed that uses a combination of massage, heat, and acupressure to provide relaxation and relief from pain. The bed is designed to provide a full-body massage that targets pressure points and helps to improve blood circulation. Here are some of the benefits of using a Ceregem massage bed:
Relaxation: The massage bed provides a relaxing experience that can help to reduce stress and anxiety.
Pain relief: The bed’s massage and heat functions can help to relieve pain and soreness in the muscles and joints.
Improved circulation: The massage bed’s acupressure function can help to improve blood circulation, which can help to reduce inflammation and promote healing.
Better sleep: The bed’s massage function can help to promote relaxation and improve sleep quality.
Detoxification: The bed’s heat function can help to promote sweating, which can help to eliminate toxins from the body.
Please note that while the Ceregem massage bed has many potential benefits, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before using it, especially if you have any underlying medical conditions.
Moxibustion Treatment
I have been moxibution treatment for about a year now. we have a home kit which we do in conjunction with using the ceregem massage therapy bed. About two to three treatments per week are ideal. We also occasionally go to a clinic for treatment.
Moxibustion involves burning wormwood and applying it to your skin. It is an ancient Chinese-Korean medical treatment. for more info read the following from the Bing AI chat on moxibution.
Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy that involves burning dried mugwort on or near the skin’s surface to stimulate acupuncture points. It is believed to have several health benefits, including:
Pain relief: Moxibustion can help to relieve pain and soreness in the muscles and joints.
Improved digestion: Moxibustion can help to improve digestion and alleviate digestive issues such as constipation and diarrhea.
Reduced inflammation: Moxibustion can help to reduce inflammation in the body, which can help to alleviate symptoms of conditions such as arthritis and asthma.
Improved blood circulation: Moxibustion can help to improve blood circulation, which can help to promote healing and reduce inflammation.
Stress relief: Moxibustion can help to promote relaxation and reduce stress and anxiety.
Please note that while moxibustion has many potential benefits, it is important to consult with a healthcare professional before using it, Korean Charcoal Saunasespecially if you have any underlying medical conditions.
Korean Charcoal Saunas
charcoal sauna
;
I have been going to traditional Korean saunas for years. About two years ago I discovered Korean Charcoal saunas which feature charcoal sauna fires that are very hot and have a lot of health benefits. for more information see the following:
I heard a long time ago that playing music, learning languages, and doing mental games like crossword puzzles every day is the best thing you can do to ward off the dreaded Dementia or Alzheimer’s. Since my mother died of Alzheimer’s I am at increased risk. I have been doing all three for almost a year now, playing the piano, studying Korean via Duolingo and watching K Dramas, doing daily writing prompts, writing three to five poems or short stories per day every day, and writing down my dreams and journal entries writing three to four hours every day, and weekly blog postings, instead of crossword puzzles.
daily writing in my journals
I have been writing a daily journal since my 40s. I write down my dreams, my anxieties, my daydreams, and fantasies, and draft poetry and stories first.
then I write my journal including what I did the day before, major news items, things to note, goals for the day, what I ate the day before, and my daily exercise/health statistics.
I save my creative work at least once a week, including putting down my work on my creative writing spreadsheet to keep track of everything. I write anywhere from one to ten pieces every day.
I also keep track of books read, movie/TV shows seen and music played to and listened to.
I am currently reading the classics =Finishing Plato’s The Republic.
daily piano playing
I have been playing the piano almost daily now for a year. Usually between 5 and 6:30 pm. Due to noise restrictions can’t play after 7 p.m. as I live in a high-rise apartment building.
This time around I have started analyzing the music before I play it noting the music areas to pay attention to including key, key changes, registry changes, very high and very low notes which are hard for me to read, and repetition patterns. I found that this simple step has paid off in helping me play a lot better and I feel my skills are returning to where they were when I last played about seven years ago. I am sure I will achieve my lifelong goal of reaching semi-professional level playing within a few years.
I highly recommend this tip, playing each hand separately first when doing complicated counterpoint like in Bach, and listening, when possible, to the music you are going to play on YouTube while reading the score, to anyone returning to playing music.
I recently played my first Mozart Sonata and well I did not do badly. I will return to it next year after finishing other piano books.
One day, about five months ago, I received a mysterious package, containing a pair of sunglasses and a cryptic note that read,
“Put these glasses on and see the world as it is. For Mad Men only.”
The incident reminded me of the movie, “They” in which a man puts on mysterious sunglasses that reveal that many people are, in fact, aliens from another planet.
Curious, I put on the glasses and noticed that everybody around me had been transformed into hideous creatures, straight from his worst nightmares. Everyone transformed into aliens, animals, demons, goblins, ghosts, monsters, wraiths, and zombies.
The soldiers at the base APO had become giant rats in uniforms. The local staff had become wild animals.
I turned on the TV and saw all the politicians on TV were now screaming monkeys screeching at each other the former president was an orangutang, the current president was a giant Kamona dragon, and the pundits were all mockingbirds screaming and screeching, mocking the politicians.
The taxi drivers were all wolves. The passengers on the buses and subways were bleating sheep.
His wife was now a tiger, and he looked in the mirror and found that he had been turned into a giant bear. He talked to his best friend during their weekly Zoom session and they were all bears too.
Finally, he had enough. He took the masses off and everybody reverted to their normal shapes and forms. Disgusted he threw the glasses into the trash saying,
“I have had enough of this false reality.”
NEW PROMPT:Write a story or poem in which your current world becomes an animal analogy.
Think Animal Farm but to the scale of events in your personal life. Who would you turn into pigs? Who would become cows? What about the chickens? Maybe an ostrich or two?
NEW Prompt DUE in 16 hours 33 minutes
(11:59 am on Thursday, November 2)
The Taking of Train 967 bound for the Pentagon. terrorism
The Taking of Train 967 Bound for the Pentagon Writer’s Cramp
The Taking of Train 967 bound for the Pentagon Writing com
“Listen up. I will only say this once. We have taken control of this train. You will do what we say or we will send you straight to hell. “
That is how I announced the first subway jacking in US history. We high-jacked a subway train in Suburban Virginia bound for the Pentagon on a Monday morning boarding the train at Van Dorn station, by high-jacking the computer control systems that control the movement of the train. The train flew through the stations and we ended it 15 minutes later.
My associates went through the train taking people’s phones, bags, and wallets. We were armed with the latest high-tech weapons and gear we had bought at a gun show where no one questioned us or did a background check as we all looked like ordinary working-class white people.
It went down so quickly but unfortunately, we had to shoot a few people to make sure that everyone knew who was in charge.
I went on the air and addressed the world.
“We are the voices of the forgotten people, the little people, the left behind. We are taking this train in the name of the people. We will take what we need to finance the revolution and then leave you your phones and personal items for you to sort out once we reach the end of the line. Cooperate and you will live, resist, and join your friends in hell. Any questions?’’
It was all over in ten minutes, as we had picked a train near the beginning of its daily run and it was crowded as hell. When we got to the Roslyn station, we threw out smoke bangs flash and disappeared into the crowd.
Then we went to my bar and watched the TV coverage of the hijacking. And sat in the back room and plotted our next target -while we went through the haul – over two million dollars in money, watches, and the like.
And we laughed. It had been so easy to do, that we wondered why no one tried it before.
October 6, 1866, saw the first train robbery in the U.S. when the Reno Gang stole $16,000 … A crime that likely inspired copycat robberies over the next few decades.
For tomorrow, write a story or poem whose setting is on a train during a train robbery. It can be any sort of train (historical, fantasy, supernatural, etc.) And the POV character can be a passenger, a train official, or one of the robbers.
However, to make the assignment useful practice that might push you a little out of your normal comfort zone, the tale must be told in first-person POV (so the POV character/narrator is “I”) and in the present tense.
Weekly challenge
The Pumpkin’s Evil Plot
A lonely farmer threw together,
His prized pumpkins are on a roadside cart.
The farmer getting ready to sell his award-winning
Giant pumpkins the day before Halloween.
The deranged, insane pumpkins,
Vowing revenge on the human race,
Attacked the hapless lonely farmer,
Yelling “Death to all Humans.”
Weekly Challenge
The prompt word for the week is:
PUMPKIN
Your poem…
must include the prompt word, pumpkin
must be at least 12 lines long
does not have to be about Halloween, in case you were wondering.
other writing com
Three Thanksgiving Poems
Thanksgiving Puny Situation Writing com.
Many years ago
I had a traditional Thanksgiving
With friends in Korea
My fellow teacher said
He knew how to cook a turkey
My wife who was in the army
Got the turkey and we invited friends
Turns out he lied, he had no clue
We cooked the bird with the giblets
Inside the stuffing
Took it out and told our Korean guests
That was “American Stamina” food
Turned out and found that the giblets
Were all gone
That was a puny situation
And a memorable Thanksgiving dinner
What kind of pitch shall we make today? Are you having a ball going to bat with your New Year’s writing resolution? Or haven’t you left first base, yet? What’s the score? On to the contest. I’m game if you’re game.
For this contest, you are challenged to write an ABC poem. ABC poetry has five lines and often is used to express feelings. See the announcement for an example. Cash Prize.
MAGA Madness ABC Poem ABC
MAGA Madness
No longer a fringe right-wing group
On the way to take over the land
Politicians cower in fear.
Is Fascism coming to the United States?
this contest you are challenged to write an ABC poem.
Write a one-stanza, five-line poem.
The first letter of each of the first four lines follows the order of the alphabet while the last line can be any letter whatsoever. For example, a poet might choose to use the following letter combination: D-E-F-G-A.
The lines may be of any syllable length. Also, line length may vary from line to line.
The poem may be about any subject or topic.
Rhyming and meter are optional.
BING AI Chat Bot provides some additional background information on the MAGA movement for those of you who don’t follow US politics that closely. The MAGA movement does have parallels in other countries.
Q: can you tell me about the MAGA movement in the U.S.? Where did it come from? what are their goals and what are the links to other right-wing movements both in the U.S. and worldwide?
The movement is characterized by its populist, nationalist, and anti-establishment sentiments, as well as its strong loyalty to Trump and his agenda. Some of the core beliefs of the MAGA movement include:
America is in decline and needs to be restored to its former greatness.
Immigration and globalization are threats to American sovereignty and identity.
The political, media, and cultural elites are corrupt and out of touch with the common people.
Trump is the only leader who can defend and represent the interests of the American people.
The MAGA movement has links to other right-wing movements both in the U.S. and worldwide, such as:
The Tea Party movement emerged in 2009 as a conservative backlash against the Obama administration and its policies.
The alt-right movement, which is a loosely defined group of white nationalists, white supremacists, neo-Nazis, and other extremists who promote racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia online and offline.
The QAnon movement is a conspiracy theory that claims that Trump is secretly fighting a cabal of satanic pedophiles who control the world.
The Proud Boys movement is a far-right neo-fascist organization that engages in political violence and street brawls with left-wing activists.
The Patriot Movement is a collection of anti-government militias and paramilitary groups that oppose federal authority and prepare for a civil war.
The Brexit movement, which is a campaign that led to the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union in 2016
The Yellow Vest movement is a populist protest movement that started in France in 2018 against rising fuel prices and living costs.
I wrote this on Friday the 13th but it took a few days before I was able to post it. There are many superstitions in the world. Among them, is fear of the numbers four, six, and 13, particularly Friday the 13th. Here are my poetic reflections followed by a list of suggested readings on this topic., generated by our friendly AI Bing, and a few personal memories as well.. Enjoy and would love to hear back from my readers on this or any other topic.
Friday the 13th
Friday the 13th
There are many superstitious
In the world.
In the West –
The number 13
Is considered particularly unlucky,
On Friday for some reason.
There are words for it.
Triskaidekaphobia.
Paraskevidekatriaphobia.
Frigga triskaidekaphobia.
I don’t have the fear.
But many do
So why is Friday the 13th so unlucky?
The hearsay is.
That is because of Judas.
The Betrayer of Jesus
Was the 13th dinner guest
On the Last Supper.
Another Friday the 13th Poem
Friday the 13th
An unlucky day
According to ancient superstitions
According to ancient history
There were 13 people
At the last supper
And the 13th guest
Judas betrayed Jesus
Giving him up to the Romans
For a piece of silver
Be that as it may
13 remains a unlucky number
For many people
Ever since
But for me
It does not seem to matter
Can’t recall whether
I ever won or lost
Playing the number 13
At a casino
Seems to be just another number
Number seven is more
Of a lucky number to me
Met my wife
On September 7th
And that number
Has remained
my good luck number
People fear Friday the 13th because of various superstitions and folklore that associate the number 13 and the day of Friday with bad luck, misfortune, or death. Some possible reasons why people fear Friday the 13th is:
to that of the word for “death” (死, is in Mandarin),
and remains so in the other countries’ Sino-Xenic vocabulary.
(Korean sa for both.
Japanese she for both.
Vietnamese tự “four” vs. tự “death”).
So, throughout Asia
And Asian communities
There are no fourth floors.
Sometimes they use the English word.
Or simply the letter F
And in SF, NYC and LA
444 buildings
Are not to be found.
Fear of Number 4
(from Bing AI Chatbox)
this (fear of the number 4 sic) originates from Classical Chinese, in which the pronunciation of the word for “four” (四, is in Mandarin) is very similar to that of the word for “death” (死, is in Mandarin), and remains so in the other countries’ Sino-Xenic vocabulary (Korean sa for both; Japanese she for both; Vietnamese tự “four” vs. tự “death”).
in 1985, I spent the summer studying in Korea through a grant from the Korea Research Foundation. I was given a room in the International House and complained that they gave me room 444 and that was a bad luck number. The building owners did not consider 444 to be an unlucky number for foreigners, so they did not move me.
Therefore, the perception of the number 6 as unlucky depends on the cultural and religious context of the person who uses it. There is no definitive answer to why the number 6 is considered unlucky by some people and lucky by others. It is mostly a matter of personal belief and interpretation.
666 6th Avenue
666 6th avenue
The story is that.
666 6th avenues
Was renamed.
other some number
On Lexington Avenue
because ever since it open
there were so many mysterious
fires, and crimes
committed in the building
The building has a distinctive facade
with the number 666 on it.
there was a fatal fire
in 1912
and in 2015
a murder-suicide
they finally renamed it
and it is re-opening
soon.
from AI Chat
666 6th Avenue
There is some controversy surrounding the building at 666 6th Avenue in New York City, which is not to be confused with the more famous 666 Fifth Avenue that was owned by the Kushner family. According to the web search results, here are some of the reasons why 666 6th Avenue is controversial:
In 2007, Kushner Companies, led by Jared Kushner, bought the building for $1.8 billion, which was the most expensive real estate deal in New York City’s history at the time. The purchase was ill-timed, as the 2008 economic collapse dealt a blow to the
in one of my short stories, “Escape from Hell” I write about secret entrances to Hell scattered around the world. Hell is in another dimension and one can only go to Hell or escape from Hell through gateways known only to a few. the Lovecraftian occult classic book, The Necromicron is a real book that provides clues to some of the ancient gateways to Hell and other dimensions.
The founder of the Church of Satan claimed he had a map accurate of 1930 that showed entrances. Most gateways were located in rough neighborhoods the so-called Hell hole neighborhoods found in every big city. SF Tenderloin is one such location and NYC Chelsea is another. Later a secret VIP gateway was built between 666 6th and 666 5th Avenue, the other end opened up on 666 Hell Central Plaza where Satan Inc is located. Satan Inc. manages Satanic investments in our world. Demon functionaries are allowed R and R on full moon nights and that is while there is always a spike in weird violent crimes around the world as demons run wild in these Hell hole hoods, they have to be back by dawn.
For more info see the following (from Bing search chat box results)
These phobias can cause symptoms such as nausea, trembling, rapid heartbeat, feelings of unreality, and being preoccupied with the fear object. They can also interfere with a person’s daily life and well-being. Phobias are treatable conditions that can be minimized or eliminated with cognitive and behavioral therapy techniques and medication. If you or someone you know suffers from a phobia, you may want to seek professional help.
in 1974, I broke a mirror, My mom who was a woman well-versed in superstitions and occult lore, said I would have seven years of bad luck. I met my wife eight years later. Go figure,
in Korean and East Asia, fortune tellers say that bad luck comes in a wave of bad luck for three years in a row, known as “Samjae”. I experienced this in 1995- to 1997 when I almost lost my life due to breaking my heel while jogging and developing a multiple resistance staph infection and spend eight months in the hospital and had 14 operations, later i spend a few weeks in the ICU as my internal flora went wild due to excessive antibodies, and also developed a frozen shoulder syndrome for the same reason.
Superstitions are beliefs that certain actions or events can influence the outcome of something else, usually positively or negatively. There are many common superstitions around the world, and some of them may vary depending on the culture or religion of the people who believe in them. Here are some examples of common superstitions and their possible origins:
These are just some of the common superstitions that people believe in. There are many more superstitions out there, and some of them may be very personal or specific to certain situations. Superstitions can sometimes help people cope with uncertainty or fear, but they can also limit their choices or actions. Superstitions are not based on facts or evidence, but rather on beliefs and traditions. Therefore, it is important to be aware of them, but not to let them control your life.
I hope you enjoyed my poetic musings on common superstitions and additional reading provided by Bing.
Hi Jake, thanks again for coming back to Synchronized Chaos! We’re glad to publish these poems, one poem at a time, in our subsequent semimonthly issues.
Excited that you have written an Ode to Coffee, as I’m a legendary coffee fan 🙂
As always, please feel welcome to leave comments on the currently published work at synchchaos.com. We all appreciate feedback!
Cristina
Here are some more poems for you to consider.
God’s Confession
Ode To Coffee
God Is Coming And Boy Is He Mad God
The Old Man In The Mirror Must Die Old Age
Falling Rain
Long Life The Great And Powerful One
Spin Masters Spin Away The Day
Red Sun Dawning Over The New Empire
Just An Unhinged Lunatic Howling At The Moon
Prior publication
Travel to Gangwha Travel piece
Christmas Bombing in Nashville
Eve Ate the Apple
Just Enough for Coffee
Our National Hangover
Strangers Sleeping on the Streets
2019 Year That Was
Dogs of War are Howling
Dreams
Fate
Idiots in High Places
masters of the Universe
The terrible Teens
When will this Madness End?
End-of=the-Years Blues
God’s Confession
god
I was sitting alone
In a god-forsaken bar
the Cosmos Bar in Soi Cowboy
Bangkok, Thailand
On the lunatic fringes of society
Twenty drinks too sober
In the ass end
of a Friday night booze binge
On the bad part of town
Over by railroad tracks
Heading to hell
As fast as I could drank it down
Enjoying my lonely drink
Drinking by my lonesome self
With my partners
Jimmy Bean, Jack Daniels,
The Walker brother
Evan Williams
And his old Granddad
Just drinking one bourbon,
one scotch, and one beer
and hanging
with Jack Daniel’s
gentlemen’s club
A crazed bum
With a thousand-year stare
Walks up to me
He begins
Muttering to himself
Nutty nonsense
Crazy words
In a lunatic’s voice
He had the look
Of one possessed
By his demons
Only he can see
Or hear
Possessed
by a secret knowledge
Only he knew
Despite myself
I was fascinated
By this lunatic’s tale
So I stopped him
And said
“Say, crazy little Dude!
So what’s your game, Anyway?”
The short little dude
Stopped his insane prattle
Starting at me
With that
thousand-year-old stare
Just another
washed-up lunatic
Too many drugs
His mind blown away
Down too many rabbit holes
Too many bad nights
On the wrong side of life
An ACID causality
from the 60s
Been down so long
It looks like
up to him
He looked at me
And proclaimed his story
He reared up
And filled up the room
And lifted the bar
On his finger
And stared down at me
From the sky
And said
“Since you asked
I am Allah
The Alpha and Omega
Ganesh
Kali
Jupiter
Jehovah
Shiva
Zeus
And a billion other names
The real deal
The original dude of dudes
The Sultan of Swing
God of hosts
And the father
of that Jesus dude
But no one knows me
Any more
No one cares
They think I am irrelevant
They think I am dead
They think I am a fairy tale
From some olden, ancient time
That my work is done
I looked at him
Carefully now
And what did I see
An old man
With that lunatic look
But there was something else
He was crazy
Sure. Yeah
Out there
Bat sh… looney tunes
But perhaps
he was the real deal
I mean, why not
In this materialistic age
Why would God not be
a wandering lunatic
wandering around loose
Talking to low lives
like me
In a bar
On the highway to hell
So I looked at him
And invited him to share
His tale of cosmic woe
God tells me
“Well, it’s like this
Many a year ago
People believed in me
But one day
They quit believing in me
they moved on
And they went on without me
As they left me
My powers got weaker and weaker
And so eventually I became
What you see today
A broken-down drunk
Hanging out
Looking for a handout
Looking for some company
Or at least a free dinner”
And he laughed
and laughed
And I looked at him
And saw
the beginnings of the end
And the ends
of the beginnings
I saw a million planets
Flash by
Trillions of people
Thinking all at once
Thoughts filled my head
Lights flashed
And I knew
He was telling the truth
But it did not matter
In this day and age
Of materialism
God has no role
God is truly dead
And so I bought him a drink
And walked out of the bar
still twenty drinks too sober
Profoundly saddened
From what I had seen
God was dead
And we had all conspired
To kill him
Long live God
Ode To Coffee
Mistress of sacred love
Sacred lady of desire
You start my day
Setting my heart on fire
With your dark
delicious flavor
And throughout the day
Whenever the mean
old blues come by
You chase them away
With your bitter ambrosia
Every time I inhale
your witch’s brew
I am filled with power, light, and love
And everything is alright Jack
If only for a few fleeting minutes
I love you oh coffee goddess
In all your magical forms
In the dark coffee of the dawning day
In the sizzling coffee in the mid-morning break
In the afternoon siesta break
And in the post-dinner dessert drink
I love you, my coffee mistress
You are my refuge
From this horrid world
And you are my secret lover
Never disappoint me, ever
I’ve never had a bad cup
Of that, I can be sure
Even the dismal coffee
Served at Denny’s at 3 am
Is still sweat-loving coffee
Even the farmer brother’s diner coffee
Excites me and gets me going
Asking for another cup of divine delight
Coffee always is there
It is always on and piping hot
With hidden dark secrets
Swirling in its liquid essence
Coffee is my last vice
My only legal vice left
Coffee does not cheat on me
It is always faithful, always true
It does not turn on its friends
And all it asks in return
Is that you come back
Cup after cup after cup
A good cup of coffee
Is a little bit of heaven
In a cup of dark liquid hell
Coffee is like a drug
But a good drug
that does what it should
And never complains
It does not get grouchy
It does not hurt you
It does not make you crazy
But allows the muse to come out
And play with it
Coffee led to the American Revolution
As patriots drank coffee
To rebel against the aristocratic English tea
Coffee started the London Stock market
And started the gossips mills running
Every great invention
Was fed by coffee’s sweat brew
All the great thinkers
All the great leaders
All were enslaved to coffee’s magic
Yeah
I sing my praises
Of the great
glorious coffee lady
Long may she continue
To be my sweat companion
Long may coffee continue
To rule my heart
And set my heart on fire
I love thee
Mistress coffee
And sometimes I think
You love me too
God Is Coming, And Boy Is He/She Mad
God is Coming and Boy,
is he/she mad
God Is Coming
The preacher on the street proclaimed
God is coming, oh yeah, he is on his way
And Boy, is he/she angry at us
The entire human race
And God, let me tell yah
He ain’t the wimpy, wimpy pappy
White Boy false God of the New Testament
The false deity that the evil Reverend Farwell
And the MAGA prophets
And the smarmy Pat Robinson worship
Hell no, God ain’t that god
God is a mean, angry powerful God
The God of the Old Testament
The God of the Koran and the god of old
The God that man once feared
Yeah, I am talking about that God
Allah, Buddha, Ganesh, Kali, Jehovah, Jesus,
Shiva, and a thousand other names
The God that our ancestors feared
The real deal,
and boy is he/she pissed off
And he/she is coming to set up straight
And send most of us straight to hell
For eternal damnation and punishment
God is particularly pissed off
All those politicians who have been
Misusing his name
and saying God is on their side
God ain’t on their side
God is God
And he is angry at them all
God ain’t no Republican
Fascist wanna be
Supply Side jesus
God is particularly angry
at George Bush
God told George
George, don’t do that evil thing
Don’t invade Iraq
I will handle Sadaam in my way
I want you to take
care of your poor people
Give away all your power and money
And serve the poor
That’s what
I want you to do
And poor George did not understand
Did not get the message
So George led the nation
Into war against another land
And thousands of people died
And millions of dollars were wasted
And nothing changed
And God is angry at President Obama
Who continued the endless wars,
Even knowing that it was wrong.
God is especially angry
At the anti-Christ Trump
His business partner Satan
Has a special room for him.
In the afterlife
And God is angry
at all the other politicians
All over the world.
And God is angry
at the people of this earth
Who have fucked up his paradise
and his divine plans.
So, brother preacher
Keep preaching the word
I understand.
God is coming to save us
And will start by dispatching
all the politicians
who proclaim
that God is on their side
Straight to the hell
they so richly deserve
Oh yeah
God does not like that shit
Not one bit
And the end times approach
And the preacher man preaches
And God is getting ready
for the judgment day
And I say bring it on
Bring it on
Brother preacher man
Keep preaching the word
And someday soon
We will meet up
Somewhere and God will decide
Our fate
But the fate of our leaders is sealed
And Satan has a nice room for them
And God smiles
At the thought of divine justice
That awaits them all
The Old Man In The Mirror Must Die Old Age<
One early winter morning
A man went to the mirror
To do his morning shave
Just another shave
Like a thousand, million shaves before
As he looked into the mirror
He did not see his face
Instead, he saw a stranger
Staring out at him
An old, beat-up old man
With intense sad eyes
Started at him
The man looked hard
At the man who had taken
Over his mirror
And wondered who he was
And how and why
He had taken over his mirror
The man was perturbed, disturbed
And a bit angry at the turn of events
All he wanted to do
Was shaved in peace
The man continued to stare
At the face in the mirror
And finally could not stand it anymore
He looked at the mirror
And said,
Man in the mirror
Who or what are you
And what do you want
And why have you taken over
My god-damned mirror
So early in the morn
The old man
Merely laughed and resumed staring
At the man
The man getting angrier and angrier
Demanded an answer
From the fiend in the mirror
Who are you, you mocking fiend
And what do you want from me?
The man screamed
The old man in the mirror
Looked at him and said
Don’t you know who I am
I am you and you are me
The man looked at the old man
And said no, no, no
I am not you and never will be you
I am not an old, washed-up old man
I am me – full of life, youth, and vitality
And yet the man knew the truth
Did not want to admit the truth
Could not handle the truth
The old man in the mirror
Was what he had become
The man was very angry
And screamed
At the old man in the mirror
The man said you may look like me
You may sound like me
You may even smell like me
But I am not you
Never have been
Never will be
Not going to happen
Not in a million years
The man yelled at the old man
Old man, mocking fiend from hell
Go to hell, old man
And never darken my mirror again
And the man stormed out of the house
And wandered about here and there
Finally late at night
He wandered into a bar
And began drinking the night away
The man went up to some pretty young things
And tried to pick them up
They laughed at him
Called him a dirty old man
And told him to go home
The man went home
To bed alone
And drank some more beer
And dreamt of all of his past loves
And failed dreams
Of what he had done
And failed to do
And wondered whether his time
Had come
The next morning
He walked into the bathroom
Determined to confront the old man
Tell truth to power
He said,
“listen up, old man
You may have won the war
But not the battle
I am not you
And never will be you”
And screaming like an escaped banshee
Newly freed from the mental institution
The man shot the old man in the mirror
Shot him over and over
“Screaming die-mocking fiend from hell”
The man woke in the hospital
An old black doctor came over
Said sadly
“This white boy ain’t right in the head.”
The man laughed insanely
And saw down the hall
The old man in the mirror
Smiling and beckoning to him
Walking out the window
And into the dawning sun
The man got up and walked
And joined
the old man in the mirror
And smiled as he died
h2 style=”text-align: center;”>Falling Rain
falling rain
The falling rain
Of late October
Fills me with
essential dread
the lightning
and thunder
frightening me
an ominous omen
of bad things
yet to come
I am filled with
Dark, dangerous
Heavy thoughts
The rain outside
the Cosmos Bar
In Soi Cowboy
Seems like
the tears of God
Crying over his
As I sit
Crying over my beer
Thinking of lost love
And failed dreams
Wondering
What went wrong?
And what I can set right
And the rain falls
And the night darkens
The rain is falling
All over this man’s world
And the rain falls
And I sit
Drinking my lonesome drink
Lost in dreams
Dreaming of what
Could never be
Thinking dark thoughts
And so I sit
twenty drinks too sober
And drink
the rainy night away
Long Life the Great and Powerful One
Night scene with the Cthulhu monster with wings standing on the shore of a sea. 3D render.
While walking in the misty morn of Yore
One dismal dark decaying depraved day
I was suffocating from the sounds of the dying city
Slowly coming to life with the dawning sun
Surrounded by the sounds of chaos, disorder
Dark, dangerous despairing thoughts
Of dangerous terrible acts to come
All around me in this strange era, we live in
This orange alert perpetual fearful times
Constant fear, and overwhelming dread
Mad crazed Islamic bomb-throwing terrible terrorists
Hiding under every bed, lurking around every corner
Conspiring with the murderous criminals of Yore
Just waiting to attack god-fearing Christian citizens
Murdering them in their sleep
Blowing up schools
Blowing up buses, cars, buildings
Murdering in the name of their demented god
Screaming God is great as they behead us all
As I walk down that street
In the dead calm of the early morn
Filled with fulsome fears of who knows what
I look up and see a giant gargoyle
Looking down at me
Smirking at me, laughing at me
I yell out to the gargoyle
“Say, Mr. Gargoyle
What is so damn funny
Don’t you know there is a terror alert
Have you seen any Islamic terrorists lurking about?”
The gargoyle laughed and laughed
Said,
“terror alert? What a load of crap
As the prophet, Mr. Natural taught us all,
It doesn’t mean shit, it doesn’t mean shit”
Nothing but prime BS
Designed to keep you in your place”
He laughed and laughed
Soon all the gargoyles
of the city
Were in open revolt
They jumped off their perches
And started marching around
Chatting
“Peace is War, War is Peace
Truth is a Lie, Lies are Truth
The Truth Will Set You Free
All Hail the Great and Powerful One
All Hail the Great and Powerful One”
The head gargoyle looks at me
He says “Watch this!”
And jumps up
and rides a rainbow sunbeam
Into the bloody red light
of the dawning rising sun
The other gargoyles follow suit
Dancing, naked, making wild passionate love
While laughing and riding the light
And the gloom lifts from my shoulder
And I laugh and realize
“It doesn’t mean shit”
And then my soul is free
And I fly with the gargoyles
To join my buddy the sun
And as we sit
high up above the earth
Smoking dope and drinking booze
And looking down
at the teaming mess
Of what was left of humanity
I realized the ultimate
reality of life
“It doesn’t mean shit”
And the terrorists
are nothing but delusions
Put in our heads and our hearts
By the depraved master programmer of the universe
In service to the Great and Powerful One
The true Master of Creation
As long as we are not afraid
Our souls will be free
And so I laugh and laugh
And the sun comes up
The dark mists disappear
The Great and Powerful One
Is overthrown
The terrorists go home
And I return to earth
Thinking that the
long nightmare was over
Believing that
we had won the war
And kept our souls
from going to hell
But I did not understand
That the Great and Powerful One
Had banished the terrorists
And conquered us all
In the name of freedom
We had become slaves
To his awful power
and dark demands
God is indeed great
But the Great and Powerful One
Has more power than mere God
And so we deserve our fate
Long live the Great and Powerful One
Whom we love forever and ever
Amen
Spin Masters Spinning Away the Day
Every moment
I turn on the TV
What do I see
Nothing but liars laying down lies
Spin Masters spinning spam of deceit
Chanting
The truth will set you free
White is black
Black is white
Lies are true
Truth is a lie
Lies will set you free
I see nothing
But politicos
Dropping down lies
Untruths masquerading as the truth
Oh, so sincerely
The lies spew forth so sweetly
From their corrupted lips
The toxic wastes
Spree out of my TV set
Infecting my soul
With paranoid distrust
And I vainly try
I do try
God, do I try
To the find
The nugget of truth
Buried deep
in the dark, dank, dangerous
Black, evil miasmic mists
Given off
By the talking heads on TV
So I leave my house
So full of doubt
And wander about
Looking for the truth
Some semblance of hope
Something to drive away
The dark despair in my heart
And I look up
And see a solitary cherry tree
High up on a hilltop street
Infusing the air
With its sweat ambrosia
And I smile
Knowing
Someday soon
The national nightmare
Of rule by the body-snatched
Resident evil ones
pawns of Hell
Descendants of dread Cthulhu
The ancient ones
Yes the darkness
That has descended upon the world
One day
Will be pierced by the light
Of clarity and truth
And the evil ones
The body snatched aliens
Inhabiting our leaders
Will be banished
Back to the hell hole
They crawled out
This much I know
And it is enough
To make me smile
Laugh and hope
Again
Red Sun Dawning Over The New Empire
The dawning sun raises bloody red
Over the traffic-clogged streets
And noxious polluted air
Of the capital of Imperial America
The sun with its bloody red glare
Reminds me of all the people who died
This last year in Emperor Bush’s Three Wars
and the endless war on terrorism
We are the American Empire
We are the power, we are the power
We are perfect masters of the universes
And will remake the world in our image
In the so-called war against Evil
The invasion and occupation
Of foreign lands
Because our leaders say
They might someday be a threat
And the old words of ancient Rome
Comes to mind
Carthage must die
Baghdad must be destroyed
The Heart of the evil empire
Must be invaded
And the evil of Saddam
must be expunged
ISIS must be defeated
The Taliban must be destroyed
the narco traffickers defeated
the terrorists must be sent
to GItmo
the communists must be defeated
the radical left woke mob defanged
MAGA Make Amercan Great Again!
So our great and glorious leaders
Proudly proclaim
Every day every moment
On the conservative media
Now owned, operated, and controlled
By the powers that have taken over
The shadow government that runs
The New American Empire
And soon the entire world
Will be under its sway
We are the American Empire
We are the power, we are the power
We are perfect masters of the universes
And will remake the world in our image
We still have some freedom left
Some space to rant and rave
And grumble
But soon, oh so soon
This paper and that paper
And this internet site and that site
And this TV station and that TV Station
Will be shut down
In the name of national security
We are the American Empire
We are the power, we are the power
We are perfect masters of the universes
And will remake the world in our image
And if we have to kill everyone
Who disagrees with us, anyone who does not want
The benefits of American-style democratic Republican capitalism shoved down their throats and up their ass
So be it, bring it on, kill them all
Nuke them all for Jesus and Emperor Trump
Let American Style Democracy
Flourish everywhere in the world
To save America from its many enemies
We will have to suspend the constitute
End the Republic of the United States of America
And unleash the new imperial government
Democracy of the People,
For the People and by the People
Will be no more than a myth
Taught in School
I say bring it on
Don’t pretend anymore
I am tired of the lies
The constant refrain
We are saving this country
And that country
And we are extending democracy
While slowly, ever so slowly
Killing it at home
And no one cares
No one notices
As the rights to you
Are sold to the corporations
That controls the secret government
That has taken over the country
And the world
And no one will do a damn thing
Including me
Hoping against hope that the nightmare
Of the Republican Fasicst Corporate takeover
Of the New, American Empire will end soon
And the bloodily red sun
Lights up the sky
With its baleful rays of hate
On a beautiful spring day
30 American boys and girls
Died in a foreign land
Because their unelected leader
Told to go there and do their job
They did and I salute them
For having done their duty
I just wish
Our leaders would do their duty
And resign
Admitting responsibility
For the mess that they created
The useless war, the constant lies
The shredding of our civil liberties
But nothing changes
The war goes on
More soldiers die
More foreigners are killed
More terrorists are created
More bombings will happen
And we slide down the path
Of Ancient Rome
The Republic is dying as we speak
And the New American Empire Rises Up
Triumphant against all enemies
All hail Donald Trump
The New American Caesar
Long May He Reign
An Unhinged Lunatic Howling At The Moon
On a moonlit late night
I sat in the Cosmos Bar
In Bangkok, Thailand
Drinking drams of demented,
fermented dream dew
followed by one bourbon
one scotch and one beer
Twenty drinks too sober
Just an unhinged lunatic
Dreaming
of howling at the full moon
Watching the world walk by
Looking at all the fine-looking babes
Walking by the street
Thinking wild, erotic thoughts
Of endless wild libertine passions
When into the bar
Walked the most
beautifulwomen
In the Universe
So wild, so free
So wonderfully alive
I did not know what to do
As this vision of delight
Sauntered through the bar
In a skin-tight leather pants
Looked so fine
That my eyeballs hurt
And finally, I had to say something
So I gathered up my manly courage
And walked up to her
And she looked at me
And instantly bewitched my soul
With a devilish grin
I lost all reason
And became a raving lunatic
Unhinged lunatic
Howling at the moon
Foaming at the mouth
A wild, free werewolf
Howling at the lunatic light
Of the full Moon.
for a complete list of my work published on the Syncrhonized Chaos web page see the following;
More Down in the Dirt Publications2023/01/14
Down in the Dirt Updates2022/08/22
More Down in the Dirt Publication Update2021/08/14
More Down in the Dirt Publication Update
The following are now available on Down in the Dirt’s Forbidden library. Order information at the end
The end of the email.
Association of the Living Dead India
John (“Jake”) Cosmos Aller
In India, several years ago
A man falsely claimed his brother
Was dead so he could inherit the family assets,
The dead brother had to fight
To be declared legally not dead
And contest the will.
“The Association of the Living Dead”
Became a movement
Of thousands of people.
For in India apparently,
It was a thing to declare
Your relative is dead.
I never thought
That the US would have
To form their own
“The Association of the Living Dead”
Until this week.
The cyber ninjas
In their infamous non-forensic audit
In the 2016 Arizona election
Claimed that hundreds of dead people
Had voted.
They gave their list of the alleged dead voters
To the attorney general
Who contact all 300 dead people
Found that 299 of the 300 were in fact
Not dead and none of them knew
That unnamed political operatives
Were claiming that they were dead.
The one dead voter was alive
when he voted early.
But died before election day
Thus making his vote not valid
But there was no fraud involved
As he was alive when he voted.
Perhaps they need to form
The “association of the living dead”
To fight for the right of the non-dead people
To continue to vote and receive other government benefits?
What a sad commentary
On the farcical nature
Of contemporary life
In these disunited States of America.
The Secret Fly Drone
John (“Jake”) Cosmos Aller
The fly on the wallpaper
In the CIA director’s office
Was not a real fly
He was an enemy spy drone
Secretly controlled remotely
Listening to all the secret conversations
Until the director smashed him
With a flyswatter
Then realized that it was a spy fly
He had dispatched to bug hell.
Madmen with Guns Madness
John (“Jake”) Cosmos Aller
After every incident
Of mass gun violence
In the U.S.
Pictures emerge
Of the killers
Almost always white men.
Who stares out at you
With soulless dead eyes
Filled with hate, fear
And shear madness.
With the thousand-year stare
Of the madman
Who only hears
The voices in his head
Screaming kill them all
Kill them all.
And as always
They usually legally bought
The guns.
This case was a bit different
The gunman briefly had his guns
Taken away from him
And his 60 knives as well
Judged temporarily too crazy
To have a gun.
But the red flag law
Is not a permanent ban
As it should be.
And so he was able
To re-arm himself
With the best weapons
In the world
At a very affordable price.
Thanks to the NRA.
And so he was soon lost
Down the rabbit hole
Of insanity and probably drugs,
The lone sniper
A disgruntled young white man
In his 20’s
Sets up shop on top of a building.
He has a high-powered weapon
No doubt bought legally
An AR-15 is the choice
Of the serious gun men everywhere.
And begins shooting
Into the July 4th parade
Killing six people
Injuring 30.
Before putting the gun down
And fleeing
Before the cops can find him.
The right-wing media
Goes to works
The pundits pontificate
24/7
It is not about the gun
It is about everything else
That is wrong with our society.
Guns don’t kill people
They proclaim
Guns are the price we pay
For our freedom.
Their demented answer
is more guns
More guns for everyone.
And sadly, nothing will be done
As the politicians offer
Useless thoughts and prayers
The gun ghosts don’t care
They are dead after all.
The madness will not stop
Until we figure out
How to stop
The killers in our midst.
There will be another shooting
No doubt before the day is done
Over 300 so far this year.
And that is just the way
It is in this day and age
Of America.
The land of the free
Home of the brave
And 400 million guns.
Janet Kuypers
Apr 6, 2023, 5:15 AM (6 days ago)
Hi there from Down in the Dirt (this letter is being mailed from a bulk email alternative email address – DO NOT reply to this email; all responses to this magazine should be sent to Down in the Dirt <dirt@scars.tv>). We wanted to let you know that Scars Publications released a collection book of the January-April 2023 issues of Down in the Dirt magazine. Since your material (writing/artwork) APPEARS in these issues, that means your material appears in this issue collection book, and we wanted to let you know about this brand-new issues collection book titled “Forbidden Library”!
And you can find this book anytime at Scars in MULTIPLE locations. Now it is linked on the main page at http://scars.tv, and it appears at the top of the list of choices on the books link (one click away from the main page, or also directly at http://scars.tv/books/) as well as at the top of the “CD Books Sale” link (direct link http://scars.tv/sale/) at Scars!
Also, by the end of the business week this week, the database with your accepted writings should (when you go to your accepted writings) have a link to this collection book that your writing is in, so people can find links to this collection book on your writing pages in the writings section of http://scars.tv (at http://scars.tv/cgi-bin/framesmain.pl?writers)…
Links for ordering this collection book appear on all of the links above, and will also appear in the writings section too, so any of your writing in this collection book will also see a link to this collection book in the writings section too!
Currently, these books are available directly through the Amazon affiliate printer in the U.S., the U.K., and Europe – and even Japan and Australia, and it ships to India too! (the above link is for U.S. orders.)
So check out the Scars Publication links to see what material of yours appears in these collection books, and if you’d like, order a copy today (I hear they make great gifts!), and again, thank you for being a part of the Down in the Dirt community!
April 8, 2022 Poems2022/04/09
April 7th Poems2022/04/08
April 6th, 2022 Poems2022/04/08
April 5 2022, Poems2022/04/08
April 4th 2022, Poems2022/04/08
2022 April Poetry Madness April 1 to 3 poems
This is my 7th year to participate in the April poetry challenge. This year I am just doing two prompts, Writer’s Digest and Writing com Dew Drop Inn. Last year I wrote over 300 poems in one month, this year’s much more modest goal is about 150 poems, of which I will post about 90.
i will post them here, and on all poetry, poetry soul, writing.com, and Writer’s Digest. Medium, Watt pad, Substack, and FB.
Index
Life Is A Dream Of Chocolate Covered Trees
Margo Taylor Greene’s Word Salad
Dreams Do Come True If You Believe In Dreams
Marjorie Taylor Greene, WTF’s Wrong With You?
Cosmic Cat From Berkeley
Healing Touch
The End of Time
Donald Trump the anti-Christ
The sound of Korean
The Tearing of the Social Fabric Homophone Poem
End of Time
The sound of Korean
Tower of Power
How Will It End?
The rule of ten
Finding Pleasure in Small Things
Favorite Korean Food
Madness in the United States
Many virtual connections, few real friends
Movie Choices Writer’s Digest
April’s Fool Day
Anticipation
Life is A Dream of Chocolate Covered Trees
Life is a dream
A dream of chocolate-covered trees
To see what can’t be seen
To hear what can’t be heard
To live in order to die
And to die in order to live.
Note: one of my oldest poems was written circa 1970 when I was 14
2023 April PAD Challenge: Day 27
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write an anapodoton poem.
Margo Taylor Greene’s Word Salad
While defending
The Pentagon document leak suspect
Marjorie Taylor Green
Tweeted a typical nonsensical
paranoid
World salad
The USG is gearing up
To censor patriotic white
Christian American anti-war
Targeting
Political prisoners
Who dares to stand up
And tell the truth
Against the communist
Radical left-woke Marxists
Who is taking over the government
Greene claimed that Americans
Are on the verge
Of losing more freedoms
In the wake
of the government’s
Efforts to pass
The restrict act
All part of the evil
Fascist communist Marxist
Plot against patriotic
White citizens
2023 April PAD Challenge: Day 26
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a response poem.
Dreams Do come true if You Believe In Dreams
Sam Adams
Met his wife
In a dream
He saw the most beautiful woman
In the world
Talking to him
In a strange Asian Language
He yelled out
“Who are you”
She faded away
As he fell to the ground
During a boring physics class
For eight long years
She haunted his dreams
Coming to him weekly
Then one day
He was teaching in Korea
When he had the last dream
She told him
“don’t worry, we’ll meet soon”
That night she walked off a bus
Out of his dreams
Entering his reality
Entering his life
Six weeks after becoming his wife
Dreams do come true
If you believe in dreams.
2023 April PAD Challenge: Day 25
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, we have our fourth and final two-for-Tuesday prompt.
For today’s prompt, we have our fourth (and final) two-for-Tuesday prompt, which means you get two prompts, and they are:
1. Write a dream poem, and/or…
2. Write a reality poem.
Healing Touch
My wife says
I have a superpower
I am very hot
To the touch
Radiating outward
Chi
Infrared heat
Every night
For forty years
I have been warming her up
As she is cold-blooded
Almost like a reptile
Always cold to the touch
And my touch warms her up
Just my duty
Of love
At the end of the day.
2023 April PAD Challenge: Day 24
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a touch poem.
We’ve already written poems related to smell, sound, and taste, so let’s keep hammering away on the senses.
For today’s prompt, write a touch poem. For the senses, I’m thinking of touch as a hand reaching out, though it could also be a foot or just bodies pushed close like in a concert or public transportation. But that’s just when thinking about the senses.
Fear of Communism
Watching right-wing politicians
And news pundits
One can’t help
But wonder
If we are living
In a strange alternative universe
For to hear
The line of Marjorie Taylor Greene
It is 1955 all over again
Communism is on the march
Marxists out to destroy America
Radical left-wing demons
trying to cancel
Normal patriotic white Americans
Who dares to stand up
To the communists
All around us
And they fill the airwaves
And the internet
With constant fear
And paranoia
About the alleged
Communist Pedophile Satanic
LGBT conspiracy to turn us all gay
And the black life matters folks
And Antifa
Coming to kill white people
And to take away our guns
And other fear-mongering memes
24/7
Be Afraid be Afraid
The commies are after you.
2023 April PAD Challenge: Day 23
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a fear poem.ing out on the last piece of the piece or the fear of dying.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, WTF’s Wrong with You?
What’s the fuck’s wrong with you?
I mean, seriously, Marjorie?
Where have you been
These last 50 years?
Hiding under a rock,
Living in a cave.
Did you just wake up
From a 50-year-old coma?
Are communists out to get us?
Marxists everywhere?
Acting like the Cold war
Never ended?
It ain’t the 50s anymore
The Communists lost the war
There are no more communists.
Except perhaps
In my old hometown
Of Berkeley
Where it is always 1969.
Communism is dead
Has been for almost 50 years
Did you not get the memo?
I mean enough of this BS
Did the John Birchers
Take over your body?
Do you even know
WTC you are talking about.
Do you even care?
That the entire world
Think you are bat sh..t crazy
Even too crazy for Fox News?
Communism my ass
Marxists are out to get us
Please dear
Just do us all a favor
STFU already
About the communists.
For today’s prompt, take the phrase “What (blank),” replace the blank with a new word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles might include: “What Are You Doing Here,” “What a Great Time,” “Whatever You Say,” and/or “What Kind of Poem Are You Going to Write?”
So make a decision: Is your “what” poem leading to a question or a statement (or maybe both?).
The Cosmic Cat from Berkeley
evil cat
I next encountered the divine
Many years later in Berkeley, California
I had gone home to be with my Mother
While taking leave from my job
in the Foreign Service
I had two weeks there by myself
My wife came later
near the end of the trip
every morning I woke up
had coffee
Did yoga
Spoke to my mother
Who was sliding into dementia?
Day by day losing her reason
Then I would go out
And explore the city
Go to a museum
Go to one neighborhood
And just be there
Rediscovering the Bay area
After years of being away
Having dinner with old friends
Seeing movies etc
Every morning a black cat came to visit
The cat was friendly and waited for me
And then would join me in my morning rambles
Following me to the bus stop
I started talking to the black cat
He looked at me
with a spark of divinity
In his dark eyes
I called him the cosmic cat
He seemed to like that
He would look at me
And I opened up to me
Told the cat all my dark secrets
As I walked the streets
Of the old neighborhood
Every morning and every evening the cat
Would be there to greet me
And to carry out our endless conversation
Then I had to leave
And in our final conversation
I asked the cosmic cat
Say, Cat are you just a cat
Or are you a demonic cat
Are you possessed by God?
Or by Satan
The cat looked at me
And I realized that God
Was indeed residing in the cat
But that god was residing everywhere
All I had to do was open my mind
And the rest would follow
So I said Goodbye to the cosmic cat
And he purred and came up to me
And I felt the comforting presence of the divine
As I said goodbye to the cosmic cat
And said goodbye to my mother
As this was the last time
That we would be able to talk
I told my mother about the cosmic cat
She smiled and said that the cat
was there for me and her
to comfort us both in our hour of need
and that the cat was indeed
a cosmic cat
2023 April PAD Challenge: Day 20
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write an animal poem.
The End of time writer’s Digest
My dear
When I met you
I knew
That I was fated
To love you
Until the end of time
And beyond
That was just my fate
That we would meet
On that date
I embraced my fate
And that is the end
Of the beginning
Of our cosmic journey
Together
Until the end of time
And beyond.
Day 16 Blank of a Blank
For today’s prompt, take the phrase “The (blank) of a (blank),” replace the blanks with a new word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem. Possible titles might include: “The Beginning of a Story,” “The Wrong Side of a Situation,” “The Apple of an Eye,” and/or “The Latest Excuses of a Continuing Problem.”
What is Love?
What is love?
Is it nothing
But biochemistry?
Is it madness?
Is it just
A search for connections?
In a cold cruel world?
That does not care
For us at all?
It is all of that
And none of that
Those who know
What Love is
Do not tell
That is the Zen
Of Love
Day 18
For today’s prompt, we have our third two-for-Tuesday prompt, which means you get two prompts, and they are:
Write an everything poem, and/or…
Write an anti-love poem.
As longtime participants know, this is my favorite prompt, which is why it returns every challenge. Write a love poem, or write a not-love poem.
The desire to get back
At those who trespass
Against us
Especially so
For the MAGA nation
Followers
of the King
Of revenge politics
The Donald
The Anti-Christ
Than to follow
The wisdom
Of Allah, Buddha, Christ,
Jesus, and Mother Mary
And let it be
2023 April PAD Challenge: Day 13
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a forgive poem.
For today’s prompt, write a forgive poem. The poem could be about forgiveness in general, or it could focus on a specific instance of forgiveness or grace. There are times when we are called upon to forgive others, and times when we ask others to forgive us. And sometimes that includes forgiving ourselves. Be forgiving as you poem today.
The Sound of Korean Writer’s Digest
I have been studying Korean
For almost 45 years
First heard back in 1979
In the Peace Corps
I still struggle daily
But Korea is no longer
A stranger
Korean is my second language
And I hear it all around me
In my retirement home
I study Korean daily
On Duotrope
And while watching K Drama
The language at first
Sounded harsh
As if everyone was yelling
And screaming
Later, I learned
Some Korean songs
And the language
Became less discordant
To this day though
I find a Korean woman
Speaking Korean
To be incredibly sexy
Packing so much emotion
And sexual tension
In every word
I suppose I will study Korean
And speak it
Until the day I die.
2023 April PaD Challenge: Day 12
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a sound poem.
With every word
The former president
Causes a tear
In the basic fundamental
Political order
Leading to many people
To tear up
In fear
Which is no doubt the object
His followers do not object
To inflict pain and suffering
In their endless quest
To own their hated enemies
The radical left Marxist radical
Demonic Deep state libtards
Who are conspiring to turn
America into another communist
Dystopian nightmare
Only the great leader Trump
Can save America’s Democracy]
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a homograph poem.
Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. Sometimes they are pronounced the same, but that’s not always the case. Click here to find a list of homographs, though there are many more homographs than these to use.
Ode to the Tower of Power
The greatest funk band
There ever was
You are the epitome
Of funk and soul music
The very definition of funk
The best horn section
In the universe
Just sublime
Formed in the East Bay
In the turbulent 60s
Playing that funky music
For almost 50 years
Their love song
You’re still a young man
Is perhaps the greatest
make out song
Of all times
The first song
I slowed danced to
Back in high school
A song I played
To seduce my wife
I wonder how many babies
Were conceived because
Of this classic soul song.
Another classic song
What is hip
Which poised
An unanswered question
And inspired this triolet
What is love, tell me if you know
Love is what it is
Do you know what love is, Joe?
What is love, tell me if you know
And how can you make it grow?
Madness is what it does
What is love, tell me if you know
Love is what it is
The Tower of Power
No doubt
Will still be playing
That funky music
White boy
A hundred years
From now
For funk
Will never die
For once you get funk
In your soul baby
You can never go back
To boring vanilla
white boy music
because you got soul, now.
Because you got
That soul vaccination baby
And need to go
Down to the nightclub
And play that funky music
White boy
Until the day you die.
Based loosely on the classic Tower of Power Song, “What is hip?”
What Is Hip Lyrics
[Verse 1]
So ya wanna dump out yo’ trick bag
Ease on in a hip thang
But you ain’t exactly sure what is hip
So you started to let your hair grow
Spent big bucks on your wardrobe
Somehow, ya know there’s much more to the trip
[Chorus]
What is hip?
Tell me, tell me, if you think you know
What is hip?
If you’re hip
The question, “Will it show?”
You’re into a hip trip
Maybe hipper than hip
What is hip?
[Verse 2]
You became a part of a new breed
Been smoking’ only the best weed
Hangin’ out with the so-called “Hippie set.”
Seen in all the right places
Seen with just the right faces
You should be satisfied, but it ain’t quite right
[Chorus]
What is hip?
Tell me, tell me, if you think you know
What is hip?
If you’re hip
The question, “Will it show?”
You’re into a hip trip
Maybe hipper than hip
What is hip?
[Break]
Come on
[Refrain]
Hipness is. What it is
Hipness is. What it is
Hipness is. What it is
Sometimes hipness is, what it ain’t
You’re Still a Young Man, Baby
You’re still a young man
Baby, Oo oo, don’t waste your time
You’re still a young man
Baby, Oo oo, don’t waste your time
Down on my knees
Oh, heart in hand
I was accused of being too young
But I’m not so young
I could make you happy
I’m not a bad man
You’re too young to love (If you and I could be together)
You’re too young to love (I’ll never leave you alone baby)
You’re too young Ooo Ooo (No I won’t sweet lady)
Don’t waste your time
The damage is done
You see that you were wrong
You wake up wondering just
How well I’ve done
Well I’ve done alright
Yes there are some girls but you know
I dropped them on sight
Just for you
Because I love you
You’re still a young man
Baby, Oo oo, don’t waste your time
(Someday you’ll understand just what it means when a man
Comes to you with his little heart in his hands
Just to love you)
Don’t waste your time
You better listen to me
Sayin that I’m loving you yeah hey now baby tryin to tell
You that it’s you you you you you you you you talkin to you
Baby, I’ll never never never never I’ll never do you
No wrong no no lady if you would check my stuff out one time haha
Just to hold you, to squeeze you and all I wanna do is to
Get next to you and please please please you baby
See where I’m coming from!
Written by legendary sax players Emilio Castillo and Stephen Kupka, the song portrays a young man at the wrong end of a breakup. The situation is bleak because his lover pins the break-up on an age difference. In an interview with Songfacts Castillo said:
It’s based on a true story. I had a girlfriend that was six years older than me. I was 18, she was 24 and that’s actually what happened. She had kind of cut me loose because of the age difference thing and the whole plea in the story is the young guy’s saying, ‘I’m not too young, I’m not wasting my time and I do love you as a man can truly love a woman.’”
The song would go on to be the band’s first major hit defining their sound with a prominent horn section inspired by Curtis Mayfield:
“On that album, there’s a song called “A Woman’s Love” that starts with beautiful trumpets high. When we heard that we wanted to write a song with a great trumpet intro like that. – TowerofPower.com
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, we have our second two-for-Tuesday prompt.
For today’s prompt, we have our second two-for-Tuesday prompt, which means you get two prompts, and they are:
Write a form poem, and/or…
Write an anti-form poem.
I wrote the above “Ode to the Tower of Power” my favorite funk band.
How Will It End?
How will the madness end?
How will America wake up
From the madness all around us?
The former guy continues daily
Gaslighting the country
Beguiling us all
With his lies, his hatred
His evocation of fear
His calling for a civil war
Destruction and death
How will it end my friend?
That is anyone’s guess
But I doubt it will end
When the former guy
Meets his maker
For then, he will become
The martyr for his followers
Who believes he is the Messiah
perhaps he is just a con man
or maybe the antichrist
revelations warn us about
time will tell the tale
of how it will end
at the end of the Trump
will we find redemption?
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a Noun in a Location poem.
Small Things In Life Brings Great Pleasure
They say
That one should take
Pleasure in the small things in life
Things that matter
Like taking a walk
Enjoying the springtime
sunshine and flowers
With the love of your life
By your side
For today’s prompt, write a small poem. Yesterday, you were tasked with writing a smell poem, but today, we’re going small. The poem itself could be concise, but it could also be focused on something or someone small.
Many virtual connections, few real friends
In this hyper-connected era
Many people have thousands
Of virtual friends
But few have any real friends
Write a poem every day of April with the 2023 April Poem-A-Day Challenge. For today’s prompt, write a connection poem.
Rule of Ten
The rule of ten
Applies to so many aspects
Of life
Writing
It goes like this
For every 100 people
Who wants to write a novel
Ten will finish it
Of those ten
Ten percent will publish it
Of those ten
Ten percent will
make some money
Of those ten
Ten percent
will make a living
Of those ten
Ten percent will
become a best-seller
In other words
In a land of 350 million people
There are probably only 3,500
bestselling authors
Drama
the rule of ten applies
to the drama world
only 2 percent
make a living
of the thousands of actors
only a few movie stars
music
of the thousands of musicians
only a few superstars
modeling
– only a few supermodels
to sports
only a few hundred NFL players
out of millions who played the game
to politics
only one president
out of thousands
who want to be
to Business
of the thousands
of busineses
only a few CEO’s
most small businesses
fail within one year
the rule of ten applies
to life in general
most people fail
in achieving their life goals
but one should not give up
because who knows
you could be the one
who wins in the end
despite the rule of ten.
Write a number poem
For today’s prompt, write a number poem. You can include a number in the title of the poem, or drop a number somewhere in the middle or end of the poem. Count sheep, a poem by numbers, or 10 ways to write a poem. There are several ways to come at this one.
Favorite Korean Food April 2023 Poems
Korean Food
I love Korean food
Fell in love with it
And all things Korean
Back in 1979
When I first went there
In the U.S. Peace Corps
Korean food is somewhat like
Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai
With some American influences as well
But it is all done
in a unique
Korean K Food style
Everything is cooked with special spices
A mixture of chili paste, garlic, fish sauce,
Onions, scallions, soy sauce,
salt, Tofu, Panjang sauce, and soju (liquor).
Often cooked with beef, chicken, clams, eggs, fish,
kimchi, intestines meat, mushrooms, mussels,
oysters and/or pork,
Every meal consists of rice, kimchi
(pickled vegetables usually cabbage)
The main entry is either beef, chicken, fish, or pork,
Rice
And multiple vegetable side dishes
Often Including western style salad
The entire meal
a feast for the eyes
Nose and mouth
with a delicious unique
aroma, fragrance,
Taste and texture
Uniquely Korean.
All washed down
with Korean beer, liquor (soju) or
rice wine or Western wine
My favorites include
Bulgogi chongsik (with all the side dishes) 불고기 총식
Kalbi chongsik (with all the side dishes) 칼비 총식
Calamari 오징어
Fried Chicken 닭 튀김
Chuncheon Chicken ribs 춘천 닭갈비
Dumplings 만두
Fried rice 볶음밥
High-rice카레라이스
Korean curry rice 카레라이스
Kimpop rice wrapped in seaweed 김팝
Korean soups 한국 수프
My favorite army stew 군대 스튜
Kalbitang (Beef rib soup) 칼비탕
Beef Turnip soup 쇠고기 순무 스프
Ginseng Chicken soup 인삼 치킨 수프
Kimchi stew 김치찌개
Tanjung stew 짱짱찌개
Bibimbap Mixed vegetables and rice with an egg on top비빔밥
Kalkooksu noodles 칼국수
Ramyeon 라면
Mushroom stew 버섯 스튜
Soondaeboo tofu stew 순대부두부찌개
Sashimi 생선회
Sushi
Dognas pork. Chicken of fish cutlet 돈까스
Fried mackerel 고등어 튀김
Octopus 낫지 often served live
Omrice korean omelet 오므라이스
Porridge 문어
Shrimp 새우
Write a smell poem
Movie Choices Writer’s Digest
Write a B movie poem
There are so many choices
To be made
When selecting a movie to watch
So many movies are B-1 minus
Barely worth finishing
Some are C
A few are D
And F movies
Just one example suffices
Ben and Willard
were the worst movies ever
It was an ode to rats
Who goes on a killing spree
As their master Willard
A deranged young man
Sends the rats out to kill
As one of Michael Jackson’s
The worst song
ever
plays in the background
April’s Fool Day Writer’s Digest
Write a foolish poem
On April Fool’s Day
It is appropriate
To think about
All the fake things around us
Especially deep fake videos
That are beginning
to circulate
All over the world
Unleashing a torrent
Of misinformation
Anticipation
Sam Adams
Got up early on a Sunday
Filled with anticipation
Today was the day
He would propose
To his dream girl
Whom he had met
Just days before
When she walked
Off a bus
Into his reality
He first met his wife
In a dream
He saw
the most beautiful woman
In the world
Talking to him
In a strange
Asian Language
He yelled out
“Who are you”
She faded away
As he fell to the ground
During a boring physics class
For eight long years
She haunted his dreams
Coming to him weekly
Then one day
He was teaching in Korea
When he had the last dream
She told him
“don’t worry, we’ll meet soon”
That night,
she walked off a bus
Out of his dreams
The following Sunday
After doing a long hike
He proposed to her
She said yes
Became his wife
Six weeks after
Entering his life.
April 23rd, April 24th and April 25th, 2022 Poems2022/04/26
April 22, 2022 Poems2022/04/23
April 21, 2022 Poems2022/04/22
April 18 to April 20, 2022 Poems2022/04/21
April 16 and 17, 2022 Poems2022/04/18
April 14 to April 15, 2022 Poems2022/04/18
April 12 to April 13, 2022 Poems2022/04/18
April 9-11, 2022 Poems2022/04/17
April 8, 2022 Poems2022/04/09
April 7th Poems2022/04/08
April 6th, 2022 Poems2022/04/08
April 5 2022, Poems2022/04/08
April 4th 2022, Poems2022/04/08
2022 April Poetry Madness April 1 to 3 poems2022/04/04
Ten Best April 2021 Poems2021/05/03
April 25 to April 30 2021 Poems2021/05/02
April 20 to April 25th 2021 Poems2021/04/25
April 16 to April 20 2021 Poems2021/04/20
April 10 to April 14 2021 Poems2021/04/14
April 1 to April 5 Poems2021/04/10
April 6 to April 9 Cosmos’s Poetry 2021/04/10
Cosmos 2020 April Poetry Part Two2020/04/16
Cosmos’s 2020 April Poetry Part One2020/04/02
April 2018 Poems2019/05/05
2017 April Poems2019/05/05
April 2019 Poems2019/04/04
Index
April 1—Make a mistake! (Write about a mistake you’ve made and/or literally make one (or more) in the poem!)
April 2—Breaking the ice (Incorporate “ice breaking” literally or metaphorically in a poem.)
April 3—Poem in response to an animal, or an animal video!
April 4—A music poem
April 5—Give in to a temptation!
April 6—A poem that could be a guided meditation…
April 7—A poem of thanks
April 8—A praise poem
April 9—A grief poem
April 10—Somehow use the number ten
April 11—Poem that defines a real or made-up word
April 12—A letter poem
April 13—A diary entry
April 14—Coming-of-age poem
April 15—A book report
Korea Springtime Haiku
Korean springtime
Billowing yellow dust//
Snowing cherry trees
Should have run for office
My slogan would have been
“Don’t make a mistake
Vote for jake
He ain’t no fake
he ain’t no flake
He ain’t on the take
he ain’t on the make
He ain’t no rake
He ain’t to snake
Everything is at stake
Even a tax break
So, have a steak
Remember to vote for Jake
And everything’s Jake”
Sam Adams felt shy
And lonely at times
He was not very good
At small talk
Not able to easily interact
With strangers
Never really learned
How to break the ice
In social settings
One day
At a party
He had reluctantly gone to
At the insistence
Of his roommates
He met his fate
She was so opposite
Of him
Vivacious, charming
Charismatic
Extroverted
Outgoing
and tres sexy
And a champion schmoozer
She told Sam
She would be his mentor
And taught him
How it was done
He soon learned
The art of making conversation
With almost anymore
And over time
Became a champion schmoozer
As well
And their romance flourished
And they were married
Three months later
Sam often thanked
His roommates
For dragging him
To that party
On that date
He met his fate
And now you know
The rest of the story.
April 3 is an animal or animal video!
cat jpg
the Demon Cat
lived in Medford, Oregon
He was mean as hell
Vicious temper
Mean hearted
As only demon cats can be
He lived with an old man
And his daughter
In an old house.
The demon cat
Hated the daughter
Who hated the demon cat.
The demon cat
Would rush at her
Hissing making her back off
Or leave the house.
One day the daughter
Told her father
Either get rid
Of the demon cat
Or I will have to leave you.
The old man
Smiled at his daughter,
Said,
Well good luck
on your move
The cat is staying.
The demon cat
Looked at the daughter
With hate in his black eyes,
Smiling at his victory.
The daughter moved out
Refused to step foot
In the house
As long as the demon cat
Was around.
Bonus Demonic Cat Haiku
evil cat
The demonic cat
Lived in Medford Oregon –
Dreaming death to humans
April 4—A musical poem
Tower of Power
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My favorite music
Has always been funk
Make The tower of power
The best funk band
of them all
Formed in the East Bay
in the turbulent 60s
Still going strong
Almost 50 years later!
Their love song
You’re still a young man
Is perhaps the greatest
Make out song
of all time
Of all times
First song
I slowed danced to
Back in high school
A song I played
To seduce my wife
I wonder how many babies
were conceived because
of this classic soul song
Another classic song
“What is hip
Which poised
An unanswered question
And inspired this triolet
What is love,
tell me if you know
Love is what it is
Do you know what love is, Joe?
What is love, tell me if you know
And how can you make it grow?
Madness is what it does
What is love, tell me if you know
Love is what it is
Based loosely on the classic Tower of Power Song, “what is hip?”
What Is Hip Lyrics
[Verse 1]
So ya wanna dump out yo’ trick bag
Ease on in a hip thang
But you ain’t exactly sure what is hip
So you started to let your hair grow
Spent big bucks on your wardrobe
Somehow, ya know there’s much more to the trip
[Chorus]
What is hip?
Tell me, tell me, if you think you know
What is hip?
If you’re hip
The question, “Will it show?”
You’re into a hip trip
Maybe hipper than hip
What is hip?
[Verse 2]
You became a part of a new breed
Been smoking’ only the best weed
Hangin’ out with the so-called “Hippie set.”
Seen in all the right places
Seen with just the right faces
You should be satisfied, but it ain’t quite right
[Chorus]
What is hip?
Tell me, tell me, if you think you know
What is hip?
If you’re hip
The question, “Will it show?”
You’re into a hip trip
Maybe hipper than hip
What is hip?
You’re still a young man
Baby, Oo oo, don’t waste your time
You’re still a young man
Baby, Oo oo, don’t waste your time
Down on my knees
Oh, heart in hand
I was accused of being too young
But I’m not so young
I could make you happy
I’m not a bad man
You’re too young to love (If you and I could be together)
You’re too young to love (I’ll never never leave you alone baby)
You’re too young Ooo Ooo (No I won’t sweet lady)
Don’t waste your time
The damage is done
You see that you were wrong
You wake up wondering just
How well I’ve done
Well I’ve done alright
Yes there are some girls but you know
I dropped them on sight
Just for you
Because I love you
You’re still a young man
Baby, Oo oo, don’t waste your time
(Someday you’ll understand just what it means when a man
Comes to you with his little heart in his hands
Just to love you)
Don’t waste your time
You better listen to me
Sayin that I’m loving you yeah hey now baby tryin to tell
You that it’s you you you you you you you you talkin to you
Baby, I’ll never never never never I’ll never never do you
No wrong no no lady if you would check my stuff out one time haha
Just to hold you, to squeeze you and all I wanna do is to
Get next to you and please please please you baby
See where I’m coming from!
<iframe width=”1366″ height=”768″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/rtE4V6YxKZ8″ title=”You're Still a Young Man (Remastered)” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” allowfullscreen></iframe>
Written by legendary sax players Emilio Castillo and Stephen Kupka, the song portrays a young man at the wrong end of a breakup. The situation is bleak because his lover pins the break-up on an age difference. In an interview with Songfacts Castillo said:
It’s based on a true story. I had a girlfriend that was six years older than me. I was 18, she was 24 and that’s actually what happened. She had kind of cut me loose because of the age difference thing and the whole plea in the story is the young guy’s saying, ‘I’m not too young, I’m not wasting my time and I do love you as a man can truly love a woman.’”
The song would go on to be the band’s first major hit defining their sound with a prominent horn section inspired by Curtis Mayfield:
“On that album, there’s a song called “A Woman’s Love” that starts with beautiful trumpets high. When we heard that we wanted to write a song with a great trumpet intro like that. – TowerofPower.com
April 5—Give in to temptation!
Henry Kissinger once wrote
Power is the best aphrodisiac
Perhaps that is why
All over the world
Political and business leaders
Refuse to retire
Still lusting after power
And the perks of power
Which includes sexual temptation
The corruption of being famous
And the belief that the rules
Do not apply to them
That they are above the law
That they are the law
Clinging to power
At all cost
Thinking that they are immune
To the laws of political gravity
That applies to ordinary mortals
That they are the masters of the universe
That they are almost gods.
But sometimes the corruption
And temptation of power
Becomes too much.
And they become ensnared
In tawdry sex scandals.
When you are rich and famous
You have a lot of friends
Until you stumble
And find yourself
On the downward spiral
Your friends forget
They ever knew you
ghost your calls
disappear from your life
The knifes come out
Everyone wants to take
You down
especially those who
used to kiss your ass
as you were rising
through the heights
of power
Smiling as they stab you
In the proverbial back
The down and out
Have no friends left
the homeless
are invisible
have no name
And many people,
Who thought they were gods
End up serving time
In prison.
That is the nature
Of power.
It corrupts you
Then turns on you
Destroying you
In the end.
April 6—your happy place meditation
When the news of the day
All the storm gloom and doom
Gives you the blue
Remember this
It will all be over
It does not mean a thing
As Mr. Natural taught us
It doesn’t meet s……
So when the news blues
Comes over you
Turn off your TV
Silence your phone
Turn off your computer
Meditate
Take deep-breaths
Following the example
Of the buddha cat
Tune in
Drop deep inside
Your head
Chanting
Om shanti om shanti
Om om om
Imagine yourself
In your happy place
A nice tropical breath
Of warm scented air
By a beach
With the sounds
Of a steel drum band playing
A rum punch in your hand
Barbados calling you
And most importantly
The love of your life
Is next to you
And you smile at her
And everything’s Jake
Make no mistake
Just go with the flow
Embrace your happiness.
April 7—A poem of thanks
Everyday
Every moment
Every minute
Every second
I thank the love of Gods
For having brought you
Into my life
Thankful you found me
And saved my life
When you became my wife
That date
I met my fate
Based loosely on my true love story. I first dreamt of meeting her in 1974, she walked out of my dreams into my life in 1982, we got married seven weeks later and have been together now 41 years.
April 8—A praise poem
Every day I wake up
And praise the love Gods
For having brought you
Into my life.
I praise them
For having sent
An angel.
And I praise you
The most wonderful woman
In the whole world.
Based loosely on my true love story. I first dreamt of meeting her in 1974, she walked out of my dreams into my life in 1982, we got married seven weeks later and have been together now 41 years.
April 9—A grief poem
Gun Grief
After every incident
Of mass gun violence
In the U.S.
And sadly, around the world
But not as much
As the US
Remains the mass murder
capital of the world.
We are number one in gun murders
Because we have so many guns
25 percent of the world’s guns.
Pictures emerge
Of the killers
Almost always white men.
Who stares out at you
With soulless dead eyes
Filled with hate, fear
And sheer madness.
With the thousand-year stare
Of the madman
Who only hears
The voices in his head
Screaming kill them all
Kill them all.
And as always
They usually legally bought
The guns.
This case was a bit different
The gunman briefly had his guns
Taken away from him
And his 60 knives as well
But the red flag law
Is not a permanent ban
As it should be
And so he was able
To re-arm himself
With the best weapons
In the world
At a very affordable price
And so he became lost
Down the rabbit hole
Of drugs and insanity
Went out determined to kill
As many people as he could
And he did.
And on this day
We all experience grief
Sadness at the madness
And anger at the feckless
Politicians who shed crocodile tears
Offering useless thoughts and prayers
The gun ghosts don’t care
They are dead
Because guns killed them
So enough no more
Let’s get up
From our chairs
And demand action
Rather than give into
Grief and despair
But sadly
Nothing will change
There will be another
Mass shooting
And another
And another
That is just the way
It is in this day and age
Of America
The land of the free
Home of the brave
And 400 million guns.
Bonus Gun Dizaine
There are too many guns around, just no fun
Now there are too many people dying
The problem is simply too many guns
Just too many politicians lying
Too many people are now gun ghosts crying
As a result, there is much sadness
There is no end in sight to this madness
Politicians offering prayers
Nothing will be done to stop this badness
We will continue to have dark nightmares
The Dizain is an ancient French form of ten lines with eight or ten syllables per line and a mirrored rhyme scheme of ababbccdcd, as described and demonstrated in the following links:
Dizain is a decastich, the whole poem is made up of a single Ballade Supreme stanza, a 10-line stanza without an envoy. Lines of 8 or 10 syllables each with a rhyme scheme ababbccdcd.
Dizain for the evolutionary
socialist dream of edouard Bernstein
by DC Martinson
Sleep no more, you working classes,
don’t fight the pulse to congregate.
Rise, you the power of the masses,
and from the grip of wealth luxate
your innate dignity.
Don’t spill blood like those in power,
don’t prattle like those who cower
behind the stench of flame and flag;
for those who live in the tower
will fall: we will not have to drag.
month or two, we’re going to start checking out a new form every week or two.
Dizain Poems
The dizain gets us back in the French form domain, which as regular readers know is a favorite of mine. This particular form was a favorite of 15th and 16th-century French poets, but it has also been employed in English by the likes of Philip Sidney and John Keats.
Here are the basic rules of the dizain:
One 10-line stanza
10 syllables per line
Employs the following rhyme scheme: ababbccdcd
Bonus Gun Septolet
guns
blazing
everywhere
death following
mass shooting
many
ghosts
dead
crying
no more death
politicians
offering
useless
thoughts
T1his week’s event is to write a SEPTOLET POEM. You may use the event’s picture or your one. ============================================================================== SEPTOLET is an American variation of haiku. The origin is French but otherwise unknown. First stanza 1/2/3/4/3/2/1 and second stanza 1/2/3/4/3/2/1. It is an unrhymed poem that consists of fourteen words divided in two stanzas. Both stanzas deal with the same thought and create a picture with words. You may use art with your Septolet. The first letter of first word in each stanza begins with a capital letter. Align left. Period at end of each stanza. No proper nouns. Give your poem a title. ============================================================================== septolet origen and form ============================================================================== shadow poetry.com ============================================================================== all poetry.com ======================================================================
April 10—Somehow use the number ten
The rule of ten
This applies to so many aspects
Of life
It goes like this
For every 100 people
Who wants to write a novel
Ten will finish it
Of those ten
Ten percent will publish it
Of those ten
Ten percent will make some money
Of those ten
Ten percent will make a living
Of those ten
Ten percent will be a best-seller
In other words
In a land of 350 million people
There are probably only 3,500
bestselling authors
the rule of ten applies
to the drama of the thousands of actors
only a few movie stars
Of the thousands of musicians
only a few superstars
modeling – only a few supermodels
to sports only a few hundred NFL players
out of millions who played the game
to politics only one president
out of thousands who want to be
the rule of ten applies
to life in general
most people fail
in achieving their life goals
but one should not give up
because who knows
you could be the one
who wins in the end
despite the rule of ten.
The Scumbagery of Politicians Never Fails to Astonish Me
The scumbagery of politicians
Never fails to astonish me.
Magaret Taylor Green
George Santos
Kevin Mc Carthy.
Senator Ted Cruz
The Tennessee Republican
legislative leaders
Are among the numerous offenders.
And of course
The former guy
Who is a poster child
The definition of scumbagery.
Scumbagery – the actions of a scumbag – a vile, despicable self-centered egotistical sociopathic asshole, often a political or business leader who should know how to behave better
Letter to God
Dear God,
I am writing to you
On Easter Sunday
With a plea
For your divine intervention.
Please Dear God
Spare us the spectacle
Of a Biden-Trump rematch.
The country and world
May not survive
such a revenge match
Retire both of these old men now
Take them off the proverbial board
Take them both with you
Give them your divine punishment
Or reward as you see fit.
And in the case of the former guy
Shut him up
Silence his evil, mendacious voice
Once and for all
So the voters can choose
a better leader
among the 350 million Americans
for these dark and dangerous times.
Diary entry
Today I woke up
Feeling full of energy Love
and Happiness
drinking my morning coffee
watching the dismal news unfold
I turn it off and listen
to Debussy piano music
realizing that it was Easter
I gave thanks to the Gods
For bringing me my Angela
Who saved my soul
So many years ago.
April 14—Coming-of-age poem
My life began
When I turned 26
And married
the lady of my dreams,
eight years
after first seeing her
in my dreams
the date that we met
September 7th, 1982
Is a day that I shall
always remember
for that date
was the date I met my fate
when my soul mate
became my mate.
As Time Goes By Book report
While reading
Robert Harris’s Epic History
Of Cicero
One of the greatest politicians
Of the ancient world
I was struck by how
Very little has changed
In this world of ours
To quote the classic song
“As time goes by”
It’s still the same old story
A fight for love and glory,
A case of do or dies
As time goes by.
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We wanted to let you know that the brand-new Down in the Dirt issue was just released! The new issue of the January 2023 issue of Down in the Dirt is v203, titled “The Gravity of Imagination”!
Now, there are many ways you can see this issue online. You can go to the main scars page at http://scars.tv and see it not only in the text listing but also as one of the cover images on the main page (right frame). You can also go to the home page of Down in the Dirt at http://scars.tv/dirt and click on the “see the current issue” link – and you can even go to the link for ALL of the issues and see this issue linked right at the top of the listing.
Currently, this issue is available not only online but also available as a print issue for sale through all of the Amazon channels throughout the United States, the U.K., and Europe. Find it at http://scars.tv (at the issue link, the links at this issues page, AND the main page) – and the books link at http://scars.tv/books and the CD/Book Sale page at http://scars.tv/sale will all have links to ordering the book through Amazon (however, the http://scars.tv site will only list it through the U.S. Amazon links).
And if you look at any writing by any writer IN this issue in the writings section of http://scars.tv at http://scars.tv/cgi-bin/framesmain.pl?writers you will see links to the Internet (web page) issue (and eventually to the print issue of this magazine too).
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The Uttar Pradesh Association of Dead People is an Indian pressure group based in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh that seeks to reclaim the legal rights of those …
The Association seeks to reverse the illegal practice, call attention to the problem, and prevent others from being exploited in similar fashion. The founder of …
Arizona AG refutes review that counted 282 dead voters
Aug 2, 2022 — Arizona AG Brnovich said he found a ballot from just one dead voter, contradicting a partisan probe’s allegation 282 ballots were cast in …
Secret Gateways
There are secret gateways
Portals to other dimensions
All around us
Hidden deep in the mountains.
Leading to other worlds
Other times and places
Where time runs differently
And humans are unknown.
The lonely Mother Duck
The lonely mother duck
Watched her eggs hatch
In the nest by the lake.
She was worried
About the coyotes, feral dogs, foxes
Lions, tigers and wolves
That were all around.
Ever since the humans all disappeared.
The Secret Fly Spy Drone
The fly on the wallpaper
In the CIA director’s office
Was not a real fly
He was an enemy spy drone
Secretly controlled remotely
Listening to all the secret conversations
Until the director smashed him
With a flyswatter
Then realized that it was a spy fly
He had dispatched to bug hell.
Drones: From Insect Spy Drones to Bomber … – Amazon.com
Researchers from MIT, Harvard, and the City University of Hong Kong developed insect-sized drones that look and move just like the real …
Mashable · Jordan Aaron ·
Nothing But Sleaze
Sleaze Sleaze Sleaze Sleaze Sleaze Sleaze Sleaze Sleaze Sleaze Sleaze Sleaze Nothing but Sleaze Surrounds me
24/7 S L E A Z E
Led by the Sleaze King
King Donald Trump
the one true sleaze King
The Sleaze King from TV
Are we doomed to live
In a world run by sleaze kings
And ruled by sleaze values?
Are we addicted to sleaze?
And need our sleaze fix daily?
As we turn on the sleaze TV
And see nothing but sleaze
Oozing out of our TV sets?
SLEAZE
Sleaze surrounds us 24/7
Lots of sleaze on the TV
Everywhere we go nothing
but sleaze
All the time
24/7
sleaze rules the air
Zappa had it right
calling it the slime
Everything is nothing
but slime oozing out of our TV’s
Author’s Note; I worked my way through college washing dishes in the University’s cafeteria. The reference to Donald Trump was from the original 1975 poem, who knew that I was predicting his rise to power decades later?
Snarling Cup of Coffee
I like to start my day with a hot cup of coffee I pound down the coffee First thing I do every day as the dawning sun Lights up my lonesome room Yeah, but not just a simple cup of java Joe, but a God damn snarling sarcastic smarmy cup of coffee I mean, – we are talking about an alcoholic, all speed ahead, always hot, always fresh, always there when I need it, angry, attitude talk to the hand Ztude, bad, bad assed, beats breaking, beatnik, bluesy, bitter, bitchy, bombs away, capitalistic, caffeinated up the ass, cinematic, communistic, Colombian grown, Costa Rican inspired, Cowabunga to the max, crazy assed, devilishly angelic, divine, divinely inspired, dyslexic, epic, extreme vetting, evil eye, expensive, erotic vision inducing, Ethiopian coffee house brewed, euphoric, freaky, freazoid, foxy, Frenched kissed, French brewed, funkified, foxy lady, graphic, GOD in my coffee, with Allah, Ganesh, Jesus, Kali, Buddha, Christians, Durga, Hindus, Mohamed, Jesus and Mo and their friend, the cosmic bar maid, Sai Babai, Shiva, Taoists, Zoroastrians, drinking my god damned coffee in Hell; growling, gnarly, happy, hard as ice, Hawaian blessed, high as a kite, hippie, hip, hipster, hip hoppy, hot as hell yet strangely sweet as heaven, jazzy, jealous, Kerouac approved, kick ass, kick my god damn ass to Tuesday, kick down the doors and take no prisoners, grown in the Vietnam highlands by ex-Vietcong, Guatemalan grown, kiss ass, illegal in every state, imported from all over the god damn world, insane, lovely, loony, lonely, lonesome, malodorous mean old rotten, motherfucking, nasty, narcotic, never whatever, never meh, never cold, not approved by the CIA, not approved by DHS, not approved for human consumption by the FDA, not your daddy’s sissified corporate cup of coffee, NOT DECAFE coffee, not your Denny’s truck driver weak as brown water cup of fake coffee, not your establishment friendly cup of coffee, Not your FBI coffee, Not FAKE Herbal coffee substitute, but a real cup of coffee, not your farmer brothers dinner crap, not made in America for Americans, not safe for work, not your Starbucks average expensive overpriced crappy corporate chain cup of coffee, Not pretentious, Not White House approved, not State Department safe, nuclear, Not Patriotic, operatic, Peets’s coffee approved, paranoid, pornographic, psychotic, pontific, politically aware, rapping, rhyming, right here, right now in River city, rock and roll up the Yazoo, sad, sadistic, sarcastic, sassy, satanic, schizoid, shitting, silly, sexy, smarmy, smelly, smooth, snarky, snarling, stupid, stinking, sweet as honey, sweat inducing, symphonic, Trump can’t handle this coffee, vengeful, Wagnerian, wicked, with nutmeg and cinnamon swirls, with a hint of stevia, with a hint of vanilla, with a hint of rum, with a hint of whisky, with a hint of cherry, with a hint of fruit overtones, with a hint of drugs spicing up the coffee, spendific, speeding, splendid, superior accept no substitutes, survived the Vietnam war, the Iraq war, the Afghan war, the first and Second Korean war, World War 11, the war on poverty, the war on drugs, the war on black people, the sexual revolution, Soulful as a summer’s night in MOTOWN- James Brown approved, TOP approved, Berkeley approved, the coffee that Jimmy Hendrix drank before he died, the coffee that Elvis drank on his last breakfast, the coffee that Barry White crooned as he drank his cup of coffee – and the coffee that made the white boy play stand up and play that funky music, the coffee that made Jonny B Goode play his guitar, and made Jonny bet the devil his soul after he drank his morning cup of righteous coffee and the coffee that make the Rolling Stones Rock and Roll, the coffee your mother warned you against drinking, the coffee that Napoleon drank when he became the Emperor of all Europe, the Coffee that Beethoven drank when he wrote the Ninth symphony, the coffee that Mozart drank as he wrote his last symphony, the coffee that Lincoln drank before he was killed, the Hemingway drank before he killed himself, the coffee that started the 60’s, and ended the 20th century, the coffee that Lenin drank as he plotted revolution, the coffee that Hitler and Stalin drank with FDR as they divided up the world after World War 11, the cup that JFK drank before he was blown away, the coffee Jerry drinks while driving in cars with random celebrities and political figures, the coffee that Jon Stewart drinks before he goes on an epic take down of some foolish politico, the cup of Arabic coffee that Sadaam drank the day he was executed, the coffee that GW and Cheney drank when they bombed Baghdad, the Indian cup of coffee that Bid Laden drank before 9-11 and just before the seals blew his ass to hell, the cup of coffee that Tiger Woods drank with his mistresses while playing a 3, 000 dollar round of golf at Sandy Lane golf course in Barbados, the last legal drug that does what drugs should do, the cup of coffee that Obama drank when he became President, Vietnamese, Vienna brew, wacky, whimsical, Whisky Tango Foxtrot, wild, weird, wonderful, WOW, Yabba dabba doo! Yada Yada yada Zappa’s favorite cup of cosmic coffee, and Zorro’s last cup of coffee, Good to the last drop rolled into one simple cup of hot coffee
As I pound down that first cup of coffee
And fire up my synaptic nerve endings
with endless supplies
Of caffeine induced neuron enhancing chemicals
I face the dawning day with trepidation
and mind-numbing fear
I turn on the TV
and watch the smarmy newscasters
in their perfect hair
Lying through their teeth
about the great success the government is having
Following the great leader’s latest pronouncements
I want to scream and shoot the TV
and run out side
Shouting “Stop the world.
I want to get off this fucking crazy planet”
The earth does not care a whit about my attitude.
It merely shrugs and moves around the Sun
In its appointed daily run.
And I sit down
The madness dissipating a bit
And enjoy my second cup
Of heaven and hell In my morning cup of Joe
Author’s note: published in multiple places.
Unhinged Lunatic Howling at the Full Moon
On the night of the blood-red super full moon
I sat in an evil, depraved godforsaken bar
Drinking drams of demented, fermented dream dew
Washed down by endless rounds of whiskey, rum,
tequila, vodka, soju and of course beer
drinking with my buddies the Jack Daniels Gang
Drinking my way to Hell and beyond
Just as fast as I could
twenty damn drinks too sober
Just an unhinged lunatic
Dreaming of howling at the full moon
Watching the world walk by
Looking at all the fine-looking babes
Walking by the street
Thinking wild, erotic thoughts
Of endless wild libertine passions
When into the bar
That din of cosmic depravity
Walked the most beautiful women In the Universe
So wild, so free So wonderfully alive
I did not know what to do
As this vision of delight
Sauntered through the bar
In a skin-tight leather pants
Looked so fine
That my eyeballs hurt
And finally,
I had to say something
So, I gathered up my manly courage
And walked up to her
And she looked at me
And instantly bewitched my soul
With a devilish grin
I lost all reason
And became a raving lunatic
Unhinged lunatic
Howling at the blood red full moon
Foaming at the mouth
A wild, free werewolf
Howling at the lunatic light
Of the blood red, blue full Moon
Author Note: also published in multiple places April 30
In Search of America 1975 – Hitch hiking Tales
hitchhiking tales jpg
When I was young and foolish
Broke and stubborn
I hitchhiked across the USA
Started in Salt Lake City
Where my greyhound bus pass
Was stolen
The station manager
Could have helped me
But refused to do so
Threaten to call the cops
When I grabbed my bags
Without the stolen tags
I said
Go ahead
But I am so out of here
Wondered about Salt Lake City
Went to a bar
Found I had to buy my booze Next door
And they would mix it for me
Had to order food too
After a bloody Mary And a burger
I walked about town
Saw the Mormon Temple
Finally, about 3 pm
It was time to hit the road
Did not look back
Ended up in Cody Wyoming
Got a room shower Steak beer
Using my rapidly depleted cash
Spent 25 dollars
Money really went far
Back in those days
A band of professional Communist agitators
Gave me a ride To Des Moines
Lots of weed, booze
And politics later
Got off the road
Slept outside
Next day
A beautiful woman
Drove me to near Chicago
In a red mustang
Might have been
The girl in the song
Take it easy
Digging her vibe
She invited me home
But was not sure
If her estranged husband
Would welcome me
So, being foolish
And inexperienced with women
Did not go to her place
And always regretted
That I had lost
My chance that day
Then on to Chicago
Several rides later
Visited friends
Hit the road again
A series of uneventful rides
With truckers
And others
And a week later
I ended in New York City
Slept along the way
In cars
In truck stops
In high way rest stops
Always moving
Always going
None stop talking
And lots of free weed
And beer
And conversation
One more memorable ride
Occurred outside Albany
On my return to Chicago
A middle age creepy looking man
Picked me up In a brand-new Cadillac
He was he said a dynamite deliverer
For the Mafia
Went to various places
To blow up shit
He hated a lot of people
Particularly hippies from California
And Jewish people
Looking at me to confirm
That I was both
I told him that I lived in New York
And had never been to California
And although I might have looked Jewish
As I had what was called back in the day
A “Jewfro”
I was not Jewish
Many years later
I discovered
That I am indeed part Jewish
But back then
I did not know it
And I felt a bit of strategic misinformation
Might keep me alive
Then I realized that he was just jiving with me
And we relaxed
And he pulled out some weed
And beer
And we mellowed out
But I believe
that he really was with the mob
Perhaps not a dynamite dealer
A real Italian made mafia member
By Chicago I had enough
I called my Dad
Told him what had happened
Wanted a ticket home
And he sent me a ticket
And 500 dollars
And I went home
I told him I would tell him
My tales some day
But never did I learned
so much
About my fellow Americans
And the strange vibe
That was 1975
And now it is too late
But I wanted to finally
Tell the world
Of my hitchhiking tales
In search of America 1975
Published in multiple places including the Poet “on the Road” anthology in 2020. Summer 2020 theme: ON THE ROAD Volumes 1 & 2https://www.thepoetmagazine.org › summer-2020—on-… SUMMER 2020 – Poetry on the theme of ON THE ROAD from poets around the world. 54 poets. 135 poems. 240 pages. Large format 6 x 9 inch (15.24 x 22.86 cm).
When Will this Darkness End?
As the darkness settles down on the land
All are consumed with evil
Foul deeds and endless darkness
I wonder if it will ever go away?
Yes I wonder If our great nightmare will ever end?
Are we doomed
To live out the decline of America?
This is what I pray for 2018
The end of the darkness
The unleashed hatred that consumes our land
I am a bus rider
That makes me unusual
For a white male
From an upper middle class family
Our people are not bus riders
Though some are subway riders
Bus riders are other people
The poor, minorities, immigrants
People who don’t drive
Because they are blind
Or have a DUI
And in my case
I don’t drive
Because I have bad vision
And bad coordination
Just never got the hang
Of the whole driving thing
Fortunately for me
My wife does the driving
But I still take the bus
From time to time
I rode the AC buses in Berkeley
As a child Line 67, line 51, line 43 F bus
Rode them long before BART came along
And afterwards as well
As an adult seldom rode the bus
But when I did so
I was always impressed
By the sheer diversity
Of the bus riding population,
Hundreds of languages
All sorts of sexual orientation
Some were white
Most were not
Most of my fellow passengers
Were nice enough
Some were friendly
And some were lost In their own thoughts
And a few Were scary looking dudes
With the look
Of someone who had done time
And were capable of more violence
I also rode the bus In Seattle
as a graduate student
A lot of fellow UW students
And the usual immigrants
Minorities etc
And some white people Commuting
And in DC
Over the years
I rode a lot of buses
Mostly to and from the metro
But I got to know
And love the DC buses as well
I also took the greyhound bus
Across the country
Several times over the years
All over the U.S.
From Bay Area to Stockton
From Bay Area to Clear Lake
From Bay area to NYC
NYC to DC
All over the USA
Taking the Greyhound
Was always an adventure
Met a lot of interesting people
As people on long distant bus rides
Tend to open up and talk
To pass the time away
Overseas
I took the bus
All over In India,
in Barbados
In Spain and in Korea
The Korean buses
For many years
Were difficult for foreign visitors
As the signs were all in Korean
Most have signs
Now in English, Chinese and Korean
And are much more foreigner friendly
Riding the bus In America
Allows one access
To the underbelly of American society
The poor, the marginalized
The immigrant communities
That many middle-class white people
Just never see
And for that reason
I am glad
That I am a bus rider
also published in the Poet, “On the Road” in 2020 Summer 2020 theme: ON THE ROAD Volumes 1 & 2https://www.thepoetmagazine.org › summer-2020—on-… SUMMER 2020 – Poetry on the theme of ON THE ROAD from poets around the world. 54 poets. 135 poems. 240 pages. Large format 6 x 9 inch (15.24 x 22.86 cm).
Failure is Not an Option
Failure is not an option
Is a weasel word
Weasel words Are Orwellian words
Designed to shut down Rational thought
And ironically this word
Often leads to spectacular failure
Because logically speaking
Failure is always an implied option
Leaders need to look at all options
Including what to do
If they fail to achieve their goals
They must have a plan
To learn from their failures
If not following the dictates
The false macho posturing
That failure is not an option
Will lead to the feared failure
On Failure
They say that failure Is the best teacher of all
And I have learned
So much from my failures
And I have failed so much In my life
But I have gotten better
Stronger and wiser
Because I have failed
And embraced my failures
Failed first grade
Almost failed math and physics
Failed music college
Almost failed statistics in college
Almost failed my life in the Peace Corps
Dealing with Typhoid
Almost failed in Bangkok
Almost failed my life
In the hospital for almost a year
Almost failed to learn Spanish
Failed as a visa chief in Spain
And throughout my failures
There is one thing I learned
With the support of my wife
And my friends
I can and will overcome
All my failures
President Trump’s Failures
Presidential failures to date
failure to tell the truth
45,000 lies
Failure to deal with COVID
450 thousand dead
And 4 million cases
piling up
And it is all his fault
He refuses to take responsibility
Part of his failure to lead
Failure to lead the country In re-opening
Making things a thousand times worst
With his epic tweets
Which are a failure
To communicate
Failure to get America rebuilt
Failure to get immigration reform
Failure to reform our trading practices
Failure to lead on climate change
Failure to lead on fighting forest
fires Failure to lead on police reform
failure on infrastructure
Failure to lead on healing out country
As he pours gasoline
On the flames of our discontent
And so I leave these thoughts
Thinking of the greatest failure
Of our life
Watching our president
Fail so miserably
At his job
And unlike me
He refuses to admit
That he has failed
Leading him to an epic Spectacular failure
Ushering in the end
Of his presidency
In the failing light
Of his life Will he finally learn
From his failures?
Sadly, I must conclude
That he is incapable
Of learning from failure
Because in his mind
He is the smartest man
In the world
And it inconceivable
That he could ever failure
For he is a winner
Are we all tired
Of his failed winning by now?
And sadly,
I must I must give him a grade of F
as he is the biggest failure in U.S. History.
Total Sucess or Total Failure
The President’s Son-in-law declares
that the government’s response to the corona virus
has been a total success
as the government stepped up to the plate
to fight the virus from hell
I have to wonder on what planet
does the words total failure
becomes total success? Are we living in a bizarro world
Dazzling light of the full moon
Inspiring the drinkers
At the cosmos club
In Bangkok
Twenty drinks too sober.
To quit their drinking
For a moment
Laying down their beer
And bourbon shots.
To rush out onto the street
Naked wild and free
Howling at the full moon
Like escaped banshees
Mad werewolves.
The New King of Humanity Emerges
artoon-devil-satan-businessman-suit-450w-49
There is a cosmic crack on the sideways,
Covers on the ground covering up
The gateway to the other world. ,
That comes out of the holes
In the ground
Filled with the power
Of the netherworld.
The spirits are led
By a sacred owl
Who screeches out
Their plan.
But first, they sit down
And have a feast
Fit for the future king
Of the world.
The spirits ache all over
As they lift their heavy weapons
Lit the flames
And destroy the human city.
Deranged Old Priest
A slightly deranged old priest
Pledged,
High up in the forest
That he would resist
The secret evil powers
That controlled the world.
With longer words of despair’
He continued his prayers
At a shrine to a magic stone
Lost in a secret temple
Deep in the wintergreen trees.
Remembering with a wry smile,
All the people around him who were
greedily pursuing their goals
of obtaining power at all costs
and in the process
losing all traces
of their humanity
as the evil forces
took over their souls.
Lonely Dog
A lonely dog
Goes out into the courtyard
Waiting for his master
To return home
Alas, false alarm
His master will not return
As he has died.
Of the super plague
COVID 25
That killed most people.
The dogs and cats
And other animals
Eventually left
To fend for themselves.
But they missed
Their human friends.
Water, water everywhere
flood
Water, water everywhere
As the monster rainstorms
Continued to pound the east coast
Southeast Asia, and Korea
Massive thousand-year flood events
Everywhere.
Too much water
With record rain falls
While out west
The mega drought continued.
Europe on Fire
Amazon on fire
Greenland ice melting
Massive forest fires
Burning everywhere
As climate change
Continued a pace.
Politicians and leaders
Refusing to do anything
To stem the crisis.
Then the ice melted
The gulf-stream failed
And the world
Continued its slide
Becoming inhospitable
For human life.
Billions died,
The remaining humans
Moving to underground cities
As the modern world ended.
An Aging car racer
Racing in his last race
Driving too fast
Around the curve
Blowing himself up
In a fiery crash
The rating score
In his last race.
Association of the Living Dead
In India, several years ago
A man falsely claimed his brother
Was dead so he could inherit the family assets,
The dead brother had to fight
To be declared legally not dead
And contest the will.
“The Association of the Living Dead”
Became a movement
Of thousands of people.
For in India apparently,
It was a thing to declare
Your relative is dead.
I never thought
That the US would have
To form their own
“The Association of the Living Dead”
Until this week.
The cyber ninjas
In their infamous non-forensic audit
Of the 2020 Arizona election
Claimed that hundreds
of dead people
Had voted.
They gave their list
of the alleged dead voters
To the attorney general.
Who contacted
All 300 dead people
Found that 299
of the 300 were in fact
Not dead.
and none of them knew
That unnamed political operative
Were claiming that they were dead.
The one dead voter was alive
when he voted early.
But died before election day.
Thus, making his vote not valid
But there was no fraud involved
As he was alive when he voted.
Perhaps they need to form
The “association of the living dead”
To fight for the rights
Of the non-dead people
To continue to vote
and receive other government benefits?
What a sad commentary
On the farcical nature
Of contemporary life
In these disunited States of America.
Aug 2, 2022Hundreds of hours of research by the Arizona attorney general’s Election Integrity Unit debunkedclaims that 282 deadArizonavoters cast a ballot in 2020, state attorney general Mark Brnovich…
Aug 2, 2022Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich on Monday debunked a claim that hundreds of dead people voted in his state during the 2020 election. Brnovich concluded his criminal investigation on Monday…
Aug 2, 2022American lawyer and politician A company whose investigation into alleged voter fraud at the behest of Trump loyalists in Arizona was only able to uncover one single instance of a fraudulent ballot…
Aug 1, 2022PHOENIX – Arizona’s Attorney General says hundreds of claims of dead people “voting” in the 2020 election were debunked after calls for an investigation by the Republican Arizona State Senate, and…
Aug 2, 2022August 2, 2022 8:23 AM Listen to article NR Daily is delivered right to you every afternoon. No charge. Hundreds of hours of research by the Arizona attorney general’s Election Integrity Unit…
The Uttar Pradesh Association of Dead People (Hindi: उत्तर प्रदेश मृतक संघ, Uttar Pradesh Mritak Sangh) is an Indian pressure group based in Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh that seeks to reclaim the legal rights of those falsely listed by the Uttar Pradesh State government as being dead.
In the overcrowded regions of Uttar Pradesh, many have resorted to bribing officials to have the owner of a plot of land declared deceased and the title transferred to their ownership. The process to undo this is long, arduous, as well as often inefficient and corrupt. The Association seeks to reverse the declarations, call attention to the problem and prevent others from being exploited in similar fashion.
The founder and president is Lal Bihari, who was “dead” from 1976 to 1994 and used the word Mritak (Hindi: मृतक, transl. Dead) in his name during the period.
After being inspired by the story of Bihari, Indian film director Satish Kaushik made a movie Kaagaz, starring Pankaj Tripathi, based on his life. It was released on ZEE5 on 7 January 2021.
Secret Gateways
There are secret gateways
Portals to other dimensions
All around us
Hidden deep in the mountains.
Leading to other worlds
Other times and places
Where time runs differently
And humans are unknown.
The Lonely Mother Duck
A family of spot billed ducks that live in the swamp. Mom duck and young ducklings resting by the water.
The lonely mother duck
Watched her eggs hatch
In the nest by the lake.
She was worried
About the foxes, wolves
Lions and tigers
That was all around.
Ever since the humans
All disappeared.
The Secret Fly Drone
The fly on the wallpaper
In the CIA director’s office
Was not a real fly.
He was an enemy spy drone
Secretly controlled remotely
Listening to all the secret conversations
Until the director
smashed him
With a flyswatter.
Then realized
that it was a spy fly
He had dispatched to bug hell.
You can pre-order it for about $300, but shipments are slow-going. 8. Nixie. Oddly, there’s more than one selfie drone, and the wearable Nixie nabbed the $500,000 grand prize at Intel’s inaugural …
Animal Dynamics has spent four years writing software that operates the hand-launched drone like an insect and allows it to hover in gusts of more than 20 knots (23mph or 37km/h). From 22 to 27 …
It’s an insect spydrone for urban areas, already in production, funded by the US government. It can be remotely controlled and is equipped with a camera and a microphone. It can land on you, and may have the potential to take a DNA sample or leave RFID tracking nanotechnology on your skin. It can fly through an open window, or it can attach …
For my writer friends who are just getting started submitting works to literary journals, here are my suggestions and advice based on my four years of submitting to literary magazines and being published in over 150 places so far.
My advice for anyone starting on the submission game is to get the fundamentals down first.
books read
Blog Page and Author Email are Essential
Before you submit anything, you need to set up a blog, make a preliminary spreadsheet for tracking, set up an author email., (including an email tracking system) a cover letter template, a folder to store your writing and an offsite backup – I use one drive and an external hard drive and back up every Sunday or before taking a trip.
Blogging 101
I use WordPress. There is a free version and a professional version, which I opted for. I pay 300 per year and it is sufficient, lots of help to get started, and when I had technical issues, they were quite helpful. Others use BlogSpot or Google blog, both have a free version as well. WordPress has good templates = I use maxwell. You will need a plugin for SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and for social utilities twitter. My posts are immediately posted to twitter, LinkedIn, and tumbler. Plugs in are only available for paid subscribers.
Podcast
Anchor is a great free program that takes your blog postings and turns it into podcasts and then publishes it on multiple sites.
You need to set up a tracking system. Duotrope can handle it all for you but I double-track it with my spreadsheet. See attached for suggested headers. I use Google docs. There are several others out there but that’s enough for now. Please feel free to let me know if you find out other useful sites.
Then put together whatever you want to submit, then look at the various market research sites I have included. and sign up for Duo trope – they will track your submission and send out a weekly market list. And finally, after submitting the update Duo trope and your spreadsheet.
Regarding the spreadsheet, I give each submission a topic so I can track my work. I have found that Microsoft word and One drive search engines are not very good so it is important to be able to track your work by topic.
The headers (columns) I use are
Status (rejected, accepted, withdrawn, re-write, the second submission? Sim okay? Deadline due)
Vendor
Additional vendors
Topic
Title
What submitted
Format copied from web page submission guidelines
Date of entry
Date of submission
Follow up due – default to three months
Response date
Response time
Duotrope entry date (update the date as needed, best to update duotrope as you submit)
SIM (note if simultaneous submission is okay or not, Yes/No )
Prior publication (note if prior publication is okay or not and what constitutes “unpublished, Yes/No, default to No if unclear Note: most sites don’t accept re-prints but usually spell out what they consider prior publication, personal blogs are usually okay as are Facebook postings for example, but ALWAYS FOLLOW THEIR GUIDELINES
Prior submission date
Title result
(Copy from duo trope)
E-mail
URL
Address
POS
Type of submission
(E-mail, online, submittable, duo trope, other)
Paid
Cost US$, CAD $, EURO, LB, Other)
Source of info
Location
Geographical and other restrictions
University affiliation
Comments received
Notes
Additional comments received
I use google docs, Excel has too many bugs in it, but any spreadsheet works fine, or access if you know how to use that. Duotrope will track things for you, but I prefer to double-track my submissions. And I also post reminders on my daily to-do list as things come in. It is also important to track your submissions and writings in your email and your folders.
I try to save all items by category as I write them as I have found that Microsoft search feature to be not useful nor is One Drive any better.
The bottom line is don’t submit until you have completed these preliminary steps.
Author web page and email essential;
If you don’t have an author web page and an author Facebook page no one will take you seriously. Same thing if you don’t have an author email. Once you start submitting you will soon be overwhelmed with emails. All the emails allow you to create more than one account. I use authorjakecosmosaller@gmail.com for my writing and jakecaller@gmail for everything else. The most common email is a simple author or writer followed by the rest of your email handle. The good thing is that if you have more than one account you will get additional storage space. I use one drive for my back-ups but have a G drive account where I store my spreadsheets, and writing com has generous storage as well as a professional looking email address.
Social Media as well
You also need a Twitter account, a LinkedIn account, and an Instagram account, but not a Pinterest, Tumbler, TikTok, or YouTube account, but if you have them, include them.
Duotrope A must
Duotrope is a great resource. I subscribed for 50 dollars a year.
You get the weekly market lists and they also keep track of your submissions,
The grinder is good as well and tracks as well. Most literary journals use submitable to track submissions which is free to use.
The most recent Duotrope email list follows
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Hi, Jake!
Here’s your weekly newsletter…
There’s more on the site: This newsletter is only a small part of what Duotrope has to offer. Log on to duotrope.com to take advantage of all our great features!
To get the most out of what Duotrope offers, remember to report and track your submissions.
You currently have 419 pending submissions. Now’s a good time to take a minute to see if any of those reports need to be updated.
Agent Listings with major status changes:
Note that we always attempt to contact the agent before changing the listing’s status. (Learn more about this process.) Sophia Seidner has permanently closed to submissions. (NF)
Best Spiritual Literature Awards (Orison Books)
Best Spiritual Literature Award – Fiction (Charges fees.) / Best Spiritual Literature Award – Nonfiction (Charges fees.) / Best Spiritual Literature Award – Poetry (Charges fees.)
Creative nonfiction can encompass many kinds of writing including memoir, personal and literary essays, and narrative writing. It deals with a vast array of topics – memory, culture, travel, literature, food, race, illness, the environment, and much more, and can incorporate a range of forms and styles.
The magazines/outlets in this list all accept creative nonfiction. Almost all of them also publish other genres, like fiction and poetry.
Most, but not all, are open for submissions now.
Blue Earth Review
This literary journal is published by Minnesota State University, Mankato. They accept nonfiction of up to 3,000 words, fiction, and poetry. “We are interested in creative nonfiction (memoir and personal essay) with contemporary themes. No literary criticism. …. We love nonfiction that works on more than just a narrative level. Surprise us with metaphor and layers of meaning.” Details here.
Mangoprism
They accept both pitches and submissions – for personal essays, cultural criticism, long-form interviews with interesting people, short fiction; album, book, movie and product reviews; original reporting; radical political screeds; and unexpected recipes. Only, “your piece must be at least as enjoyable as eating a morsel of mango, the most succulent of fruits.” Pay is at least $0.10 for work of 1,000-3,000 words. Details here.
Channel Magazine
They publish writing from an environmental perspective – “work that engages with the natural world. We have a particular interest in work which encourages reflection on human interaction with plant and animal life, landscape and the self.” Essays (up to 6,000 words) and essay pitches are accepted year-round – including creative nonfiction, reportage, commentary, and criticism. They also publish translations. There are submission periods for fiction and poetry, which are closed now. Pay is €50 per page for prose, up to €150. Details here.
(Also see The Willowherb Review, which publishes nature writing, very broadly interpreted, by writers of color; pay is £250 for prose; deadline 30 June 2022. There’s also the UEA/Willowherb Speculative Nature Writing Call for Essay Proposals, a mentorship/publishing opportunity, in collaboration with the University of East Anglia, for three new/emerging writers of colour on nature writing; deadline 15 July 2022.)
Reckoning
They want creative writing, including translations, and art about environmental justice. “the nonfiction is more creative than journalistic … the heart of what we want is your searingly personal, visceral, idiosyncratic understanding of the world and the people in it as it has been, as it is, as it will be, as it could be, as a consequence of humanity’s relationship with the earth.” See the editors’ preferences for Issue 7. Send 3-5 poems, and up to 20,000 words of prose. Pay is $0.08/word for prose and $30/page for poetry. The annual deadline is usually Earth Day (22 September 2022). Details here.
New York Times: Modern Love and Tiny Love Stories
These are nonfiction columns. For both, they especially welcome work from historically underrepresented writers, and from those outside the US.
— Modern Love: They want “honest personal essays about contemporary relationships.
We seek true stories on finding love, losing love and trying to keep love alive. We welcome essays that explore subjects such as adoption, polyamory, technology, race and friendship — anything that could reasonably fit under the heading “Modern Love.” Ideally, essays should spring from some central dilemma you have faced. It is helpful, but not essential, for the situation to reflect what is happening in the world now.” Also, “Love may be universal, but individual experiences can differ immensely and be informed by factors including race, socio-economic status, gender, disability status, nationality, sexuality, age, religion and culture.” Send essays of 1,500-1,700 words. Modern Love has two submission periods, March through June, and September through December. Writers are paid. Details here.
— Tiny Love Stories: These are also personal essays similar in theme to Modern Love, but much shorter. “What kind of love story can you share in two tweets, an Instagram caption or a Facebook post? Tell us a love story from your own life — happy or sad, capturing a moment or a lifetime — in no more than 100 words. Include a picture taken by you that complements your narrative, whether a selfie, screenshot or snapshot. We seek to publish the funniest and heart-wrenching entries we receive. We call them Tiny Love Stories. They are about as long as this paragraph. They must be true and unpublished.” Details here.
The Account
They publish creative nonfiction of up to 6,000 words, as well as fiction and poetry. All work has to be accompanied by an account. “An account of a specific work traces its arc—through texts and world—while giving voice to the artist’s approach. … We are most interested in how you are tracking the thought, influences, and choices that make up your aesthetic as it pertains to a specific work.” At the time of writing, they were reading for their Fall 2022 issue. Details here and here.
So Textual
Their website says, “So Textual is a community and online platform for bookish individuals who seek a smart conversation about literature, creative practice, and a considered lifestyle. We celebrate books alongside the contemporary reader.” Among the topics they’re always looking for, are personal essays about a single book or author that changed your life. Also see a recent Twitter thread on the kind of pitches they want – “We’re always looking for evergreen essays, lists related to reading culture, city guides, and bookstore pilgrimages. We love overlooked writers, art making, meaning-making, in media res, epistolary, riposte, plot twists, besotted characters, offline considerations, literary props, mythmaking, associate thinking, fragments, synthesis as mastery, the classics, films for the literary”. Rates start at $200 for essays and $75 for lists. Details here (Twitter thread) and here (pitching guidelines).
Brick
This Canadian magazine only accepts literary nonfiction submissions, though they also publish some fiction and poetry. “Love has led Brick to publish essays of every description: on reading, the writing life, literature, art, ideas, travel, science, photography, the perfect ending, dance, sport, music, city-building, food, bathrooms, history . . . and we are always looking for new terrain. We are interested in the singular obsessions that compel you to write. We welcome humour, we welcome depth, we welcome the unclassifiable, and we welcome playfulness with the non-fiction form.” Their essays are usually 1,000-5,000 words. Their annual reading periods are September 1 to October 31, and from March 1 to April 30. Pay is CAD55-660. Details here.
…ongoing…
They publish writing and music based on prompts; each month, they will publish a prompt (or two); for music, writers have to respond with a prose piece of 50-1,000 words in any genre, and for written prompts, musicians have to respond with a piece of music. They have two musical prompts now, and invite writers to respond to these. The deadline for this month’s prompts is 26 June 2022, and pay is CAD30. Details here and here.
Empty House Press
Their website says, “We are looking for writing that addresses the way narrative and presence adhere to place and the way they vanish. We encourage broad interpretations of what the idea or image of an empty house might evoke. This includes but is not limited to writing about home, landscape, place, memory, and of course, the atmosphere of previously inhabited spaces.” Apart from nonfiction (up to 2,000 words), they also publish fiction, poetry, and photo series. Details here.
The Iowa Review
This well-regarded literary magazine, associated with the University of Iowa and published for 50-plus years, publishes nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and translations. There’s a fee for online submissions for non-subscribers, but postal submissions are free. For prose, length guidelines are up to 25 pages, and pay is $0.08/word. Their annual reading period is 1 September-1 November. Details here.
Good River Review
This journal is associated with Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. They publish two issues a year and feature book reviews, craft essays, and other literary news on their website. The magazine “is a home for writing that launches quickly, speaks to the universal through the particular, and is layered with meaning. We also love work that doesn’t fit neatly into genre categories. Our editors are attracted to writing that blurs boundaries, and so contributors will find their work published as prose, lyrics, or drama. In addition, we want to publish the most compelling writing for children and young adults that we can find.” Prose writers should submit one story, one longer-form essay, memoir, or immersive journalism (up to 5,000 words), or two shorter pieces. Details here.
Riddle Fence
This is a Canadian magazine of arts and culture. They publish contemporary writing, four times a year. They accept creative nonfiction (up to 3,000 words), features and reviews, poetry, fiction, and contemporary art. “For nonfiction, we’re looking for essays on the arts or on particular artists, or on aspects of culture and art as an idea or as a specific practice. We are also seeking creative non-fiction with a strong narrative drive.” Details here.
Scrawl Place
Their website says, “Scrawl Place is part visitor’s guide, part travelogue, part literary journal. It’s meant for readers who prefer Bashō to Lonely Planet.” Also, “I’m looking for submissions about “places in the places” where you live or where you’ve visited.
My only fixed criteria is that your submission be about or connected to or associated with a specific, physical place that someone could visit. … The place you write about could be a Wonder of the World, a random street corner that means something to you, or anything in between.” They accept creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and hybrid works of up to 900 words. Writers can send up to 3 pieces. Pay is $35. Details here.
Empty Mirror
They publish nonfiction – essays, reviews, articles, features, interviews, personal essays, of up to 20,000 words (see guidelines). They also publish poetry and visual art. They publish work every Friday. Details here.
The Sun Magazine
They publish personal essays, fiction, poetry, and photography. “Personal stories that touch on political and cultural issues are welcome.” Pay is $300-2,000 for prose, for print. There’s also a themed Readers Write section, which publishes only nonfiction – “Feel free to submit your writing under “Name Withheld” if it allows you to be more honest.” They have a few upcoming themes for this section, including Anniversaries, due 1 July; and The Phone, due 1 August 2022. Payment for Readers Write is magazine subscription. Details here and here.
Molecule – A Tiny Lit Mag
They publish prose – fiction and creative nonfiction, poetry, plays, interviews, reviews, and visual art twice annually. All work should be 50 words or fewer (including titles and interview questions). They also want visual art of tiny things like tea bags and toothpicks, or tiny paintings. Details here.
Toxic Workplaces Anthology
They plan to publish anthologies by women writers, starting 2023. The theme of the first creative nonfiction anthology is Toxic Workplaces. Send submissions of 1,000-5,000 words. Pay is $0.02/word for original essays; there is no cash payment for reprints. The deadline is 1 December 2022. Details here.
Dream Pop Journal
They publish work every Tuesday. They welcome submissions in experimental, non-narrative forms. Apart from poetry, reviews, visual art, and visual poetry & erasure, they publish a Speculative Diary, of up to 2,500 words – “Speculative diary is a subgenre of creative non-fiction that incorporates science fiction, fantasy, and horror elements into diary writing. Diary is anything from “Dear Diary” style writing to journaling, to sketches, vignettes, fragments, scintillae, or notes. What makes diary diary for this call is work that is concerned with chronology and kairology. For this specific call, speculative can include any sort of SF/F/Horror mythos, tropes, or archetypes. Speculative will also encompass the paranormal, supernatural, mythic, dystopian, alternate histories, retrofutures, Afrofuturism, dreampunk, Ethno/Southern Gothic, and hi-tech mystery/thriller. The point is to bring genre fiction ideas and aesthetics into one’s processing of the real world and memories.” Details here.
hey want creative, thematic, and entertaining literary humor. They accept many formats, including essays and lists. Pay is $10-35 for submissions up to 1,000 words. Details here.
Pithead Chapel
They want personal, memoir, lyric, flash (short-shorts), hybrid, and experimental essays, of up to 4,000 words. They also accept fiction and prose poetry. Details here.
Autofocus
Autofocus is a literary publisher of artful autobiographical writing. They have a literary journal, a podcast, and now, a press. For the journal, they want “personal essay, memoir, confessional poetry, curated journal/diary, curated letters/e-mail, hybrid explorations of the self, and any writing that makes art from your life.” Prose can be a single piece up to 2,000 words, or two shorter flash pieces. Details here.
(The Submittable page also has details of their craft anthology, ‘How to Write a Novel.’ “I’m looking for essays about brainstorming and drafting and experimenting and workshopping and revising and all the other different stages and elements of writing a novel… even though they probably won’t use those words.” Pay for the craft anthology essays is $50, and the deadline is 30 June 2022.)
Creative Nonfiction: True stories by (or about) nurses; and more
Creative Nonfiction regularly issues themed submission calls, and normally, these have a submission fee for non-subscribers. However, for their call on true stories by (or about) nurses, they’re not charging a fee, nor for pitches on creative nonfiction as a genre. See all the magazine’s calls here. For the nurses call, “We’re looking especially for pandemic-era stories, which examine the complex and essential role nurses of all kinds have played in providing care and guidance for patients and families, as well as the ways in which the pandemic has affected both individuals and the healthcare system.
We are looking for writers who can write dramatically and vividly about their work. Essays can be from 1,000 to 4,000 words and should be previously unpublished and written in a narrative form, with scenes, description, vivid characters, and a distinctive voice. … All submissions will be considered for the book and might also be considered for other CNF projects.” The deadline for this call is 27 June 2022. Details here.
(They’re also always open for pitches on writing about creative nonfiction. “We’re looking for writing about writing—smart and insightful ideas related to the art, craft, history, or philosophy of creative nonfiction.” They’re open to these kinds of stories, see guidelines for examples: then & now stories or timelines; explorations of specific subgenres, considering the work of more than one writer; arguments or research or ideas about why/how true stories matter; craft pieces, particularly related to structure, voice, or finding inspiration; pieces that explore connections between creative nonfiction and other fields/forms; in-depth interviews with prominent voices in the field; or, generally, work that engages deeply in some way with creative nonfiction as a form or practice. For upcoming issues, they are specially interested in pitches on voice in creative nonfiction, and flash nonfiction. These pieces are generally 1,000-3,000 words. Details here.)
Night Shift Radio: The Storyteller Series
Night Shift Radio podcast has The Storyteller Series and they choose two stories to publish each month. One story will be chosen for the Full Cast Audiobook treatment; that author will receive $50 for audio rights and non-exclusive print rights. A second piece will be chosen for their mid-month print only piece. The author of that piece will be offered $25. They publish fiction, nonfiction, memoir – anything that reads with tension and excitement. They have short, week-long submission windows during certain months: for 2022, they’ll read submissions during 21st to 28th of August, and of November. Please send submissions only during the reading period. Length guidelines are 7,000-10,000 words. Details here (episodes) and here (guidelines).
Pleiades
They are open for regular submissions until 30 June of nonfiction, reviews, fiction, and poetry. “…we are particularly interested in creative nonfiction that gazes out at the world rather than into the self. This is to say nothing against memoir, only that our publishing aesthetic leans towards the exterior in order to balance what we often see as a focus on memoir and interiority in many literary journals. Essays that perform a weave of the personal with an outward gaze are very welcome. We do not only consider externally-focused creative nonfiction, but this is our taste preference. Limit creative nonfiction submissions to 6,000 words.”
And during 1-31 July 2022, they will open submissions for a special folio, ‘Silences of War: Erasure within Conflict’. They want nonfiction, poetry, fiction, and hybrid work “that engages with the untold or silenced side of “war” in all its variations—from global to national to domestic conflict. What and who is erased by violence? What sounds do these silences make, and how can they be honored and represented? How can destruction take the form of creation and utterance? Send us your writing about historical and recent conflicts, forms of resistance and persistence, and the silences upheld by oppressive systems, structures, and individuals. We especially welcome creative work from historically marginalized perspectives.” Details here.
(There’s also Consequence Forum, which accepts work, including narrative nonfiction, on the consequences of war and geopolitical violence. Pay is $20-200, and the submission period is 15 July-15 October 2022.)
5 Paying Literary Magazines to Submit to in June 2022
These magazines accept fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. They’re a mix of literary and genre markets, and not all of them are open through the month.
Extra Teeth
This is a Scottish magazine with an international outlook; they publish fiction and nonfiction. “We look for short stories that stick with you, lingering in the memory long after reading, and essays that explore specific interests or issues from a new perspective. We offer a space for writers to be strange, bold and experimental, and to express their unique style however they see fit.” They also commission one guest illustrator per issue, whom they pay £500.
(And Mud Season Review is open for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Pay is $50, and the deadline is 30 June 2022, or until filled, for fee-free submissions.)
The Puritan
This Canadian literary magazine publishes fiction, nonfiction, interviews, reviews, and poetry. They accept a limited number of fee-free submissions every month.
Deadline: 25 June 2022 for Summer issue; reads year-round
Length: Up to 10,000 words for fiction, up to 4 poems; various for nonfiction (see guidelines)
Pay: CAD200 per essay; CAD150 for fiction; CAD100 per interview or review; CAD25 per poem (or page, capped at CAD80)
This is a quarterly speculative fiction magazine seeking diverse sci-fi and fantasy fiction. They also accept reprints. They read during March, June, September, and December.
This UK-based magazine only publishes nature writing by writers of color anywhere in the world (often termed BAME or BIPOC). They want nonfiction especially, but they consider fiction and poetry as well — on nature, place, and environment. “If you’re unsure if your piece fits the bill, let’s just say we believe nature writing can tackle all sorts of issues: from stories of farming to long treks, tales of migration, racism, community, and beauty. You might be writing about remote places, cities, lost landscapes, or old homes. We’re looking forward to seeing what matters most to emerging nature writers. Above all, your submission should have a great sense of place and attention to the natural world.” They do not want literary criticism.
Deadline: 30 June 2022
Length: Up to 3,000 words for prose, up to 3 poems
They publish poems from writers at all stages of their careers, and especially encourage emerging poets to submit. Send up to 5 poems. (They’re also running a fee-based contest for women poets.)
55+ carefully curated calls and competitions for poets, fictionists, & writers of cnf. No fees. Paying opportunities only. Nothing that’s limited to residents of a single city/state/province.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
Editor’s Note
Success Stories
Featured Resource
Current Contests, Competitions, and Other Opportunities (NO ENTRY OR APPLICATION FEES; PAYING OPPORTUNITIES ONLY; NOTHING THAT’S LIMITED TO WRITERS IN A SINGLE CITY/STATE/PROVINCE)
Submission Alerts (NO SUBMISSION/READING FEES; PAYING CALLS ONLY; NOTHING THAT’S LIMITED TO WRITERS IN A SINGLE CITY/STATE/PROVINCE)
Blog Notes
Newsletter Matters
1. EDITOR’S NOTE
Welcome, practicing writers:
I wish that May had been a better month.
I wish that we lived in a better, less-wounded world.
I wish that I had healing words to offer here. I don’t.
But we are writers. And we work with words.
And if and when you have words to share that relate to recent events, perhaps some of the information in this newsletter will help you share and amplify them.
#Writers, you should check out @erikadreifus’s The Practicing Writer. I’ve sold at least 3 pieces to markets that probably wouldn’t have been on my radar if not for her newsletter. [ED note: Click through for links!]
Thanks to your posting The Fiddlehead’s calls for submissions in your newsletter, last year I sent them my essay “Boiled Boot,” about my grandmother’s childhood starvation during the Shoah and intergenerational trauma, and it is now in their spring issue. Since it’s in print only, I put a bit about the essay on my blog too. I so appreciate all that you do for the literary community!
I just had a (paid!) blog post accepted for “The Growlery,” Run Amok Books’ new blog about writers and writing. I became aware of this opportunity via the May edition of The Practicing Writer. It probably wouldn’t have ended up on my radar without your fantastic newsletter. Thank you!
In preparation for a couple of recent presentations, I’ve updated a list titled “Where to Read (And Publish) Writing on Jewish Themes”: bit.ly/JewishWriting
As noted in the introductory text, this resource is not limited to no-fee/paying publications, so bear that fact in mind.
4. CURRENT CONTESTS, COMPETITIONS, AND OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
RUTH LILLY AND DOROTHY SARGENT ROSENBERG FELLOWSHIPS
Deadline June 2 (11:59 pm Chicago time). Awards $25,800 each “to five young poets through a national competition sponsored by the Poetry Foundation. Established in 1989 by the Indianapolis philanthropist Ruth Lilly and increased in 2013 with a gift from the Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Memorial Fund, the fellowships are intended to encourage the further study and writing of poetry.” Note that applicants “must reside in the U.S. or be U.S. citizens” and “must be at least 21 years of age and no older than 31 years of age as of April 30, 2022.”
LETRAS BORICUAS FELLOWSHIP
Deadline: June 13 (4 pm Eastern). Sponsored by The Mellon Foundation and The Flamboyan Foundation’s Arts Fund, this program provides 40 writers (20 selected in 2021 and 20 to be selected in 2022) with $25,000 each. “Recipients will also participate in a gathering of all forty Fellows to be hosted in Puerto Rico, tentatively scheduled for April 2023. While fellowship award funds are unrestricted, the hope is to help writers in Puerto Rico and across the diaspora, pursue their writing, amplify their work to a broader audience, and create work that celebrates Puerto Rican life and culture. It is also the aim that each Fellowship cohort will include writers of different genres [poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and children’s literature] and writers who live in Puerto Rico, as well as Puerto Ricans who may live in the United States. Applications will be accepted in Spanish and/or English.”
ANONYMOUS WAS A WOMAN ENVIRONMENTAL ART GRANTS
Deadline: June 14 (5 pm Eastern). “This program provides up to $20,000 for projects led by women-identifying artists in the United States and U.S. Territories,” supporting “environmental art projects that inspire thought, action, and ethical engagement. Projects should not only point at problems but aim to engage an environmental issue at some scale.” Note that “selected projects must benefit the public in some way, and are required to have a public engagement component by June 30, 2023.”
BARD FICTION PRIZE
Deadline: June 15 (received). For “a promising emerging writer who is an American citizen aged 39 years or younger at the time of application. In addition to a $30,000 cash award, the winner receives an appointment as a writer in residence at Bard College for one semester, without the expectation that he or she teach traditional courses. The recipient gives at least one public lecture and meets informally with students.” Application must include “three copies of the published book they feel best represents their work.”
JANE BRINKLEY SUMMER FELLOWSHIP
Deadline: June 15. “The Poetry Society of New York is seeking a generous, creative, thoughtful, open-minded, and hardworking young artist for our 2022 Jane Brinkley Fellowship. This fellowship is named after and was founded in memory of our former intern who we tragically lost at the beginning of this year….With this fellowship, we want to grant the opportunity for a college student like Jane to move to New York City for the summer and help produce the New York City Poetry Festival from September 10th-11th….This fellowship will last from July 1st to September 15th. The awardee will receive $5000 for these three months, as well as support from the Poetry Society of New York re: finding housing and acclimating to the New York area.”
CHRISTOPHER HEWITT AWARD
Deadline: June 15. Honoring A&U Magazine’s first literary editor, “the award showcases outstanding responses to the AIDS pandemic and the realities of individuals living with or affected by HIV/AIDS in the genres of fiction, poetry, drama, and creative nonfiction.” Awards $75 (per category) and publication. Judges: Philip F. Clark (poetry), Raymond Luczak (fiction), Jay Vithalani (creative nonfiction), Bruce Ward (drama).
#HIPPOCAMP22 CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
Deadline: June 15. “Hippocampus Magazine is pleased to announce that it’s offering an increased number of scholarships to HippoCamp: A Conference for Creative Nonfiction Writers this year, including three donor-supported (two of which are new this year). HippoCamp 2022 is an in-person conference, scheduled for Aug. 12-14 in Lancaster, PA. All conference scholarships cover full registration and entrance into a pre-conference workshop; the Friends and WOC scholarships also include a $200 travel stipend.” Funding opportunities include scholarships open to all writers; scholarships open to all unpublished writers of color; a scholarship open to all neurodiverse writers; and a scholarship open to all writers of flash creative nonfiction.
NORTON WRITER’S PRIZE
Deadline: June 15. “Recognizes outstanding original nonfiction by undergraduates. The contest is open to students aged 17 and above who are enrolled in an accredited 2- or 4-year college or university during the 2021–2022 academic year. Three cash prizes of $1,000 apiece will be awarded in 2022 for coursework submitted during the academic year,” one in each category (first-year student in a 2- or 4-year college or university; student in a 2-year college/university; student in a 4-year college/university). Instructor nomination required.
EUGENE C. PULLIAM FELLOWSHIP FOR EDITORIAL WRITING
Deadline: June 20. “Awards $75,000 to an outstanding editorial writer or columnist to help broaden his or her journalistic horizons and knowledge of the world. The annual award can be used to cover the cost of study, research and/or travel in any field. The fellowship results in editorials and other writings, including books.”
Deadline: June 22 (noon, Irish time). Competition “for people resident on the island of Ireland” for an unpublished short story. Prize: “€250 cash plus a course of the winner’s choice in the Molly Keane Writers Retreat, Ardmore in 2023 to the value of €250.” NB: “Entries shouldn’t be currently submitted elsewhere for consideration.”
DAVE GREBER FREELANCE WRITER AWARDS
Deadline: June 24. Two awards for social justice writing: “The book award is set at $5,000 and the magazine award is set at $2,000. Since the awards can be given before publication and book and magazine publishing timelines can differ, so do the requirements for each award.” Limited to writers who are “a continuing resident of Canada and at the date of application lived in Canada for the last twelve months” and “working a minimum of seventy percent of their work time as a self-employed freelance writer.”
GREAT LAKES COLLEGE ASSOCIATION NEW WRITERS AWARD
Deadline: June 25. “For the 53rd year, this group of thirteen independent Midwestern colleges will confer recognition on a volume of writing in each of three literary genres: poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. Publishers submit works on behalf of their authors; a defining criterion for this award is that a work must be an author’s first–published volume in the genre.” The winning writers “receive invitations to visit several GLCA member colleges, where they will read from their works and engage with students and faculty members in a variety of contexts.” Authors “receive an honorarium of $500 from each of the colleges they visit. In addition, writers are reimbursed for all travel, lodging, and food costs they might incur in visits to GLCA member colleges.” Limited to writers resident in the U.S. and Canada; publishers may submit only one entry per category. This year’s competition will consider works “that bear a publishing imprint of 2021 or 2022.”
BLUE MOUNTAIN ARTS POETRY CONTEST
Deadline: June 30. The biannual contest awards cash prizes ($350/$200/$100). “In addition, the winning poems will be displayed on our website.” Tips: “Poems can be rhyming or non-rhyming, although we find that non-rhyming poetry reads better. We suggest that you write about real emotions and feelings and that you have some special person or occasion in mind as you write.”
ZACHARY DOSS FRIENDS IN LETTERS MEMORIAL FELLOWSHIP
Deadline: June 30. Posted by Ryan Bollenbach/Heavy Feather Review: “In thinking about my relationship with my late friend and fellow writer Zach Doss, I often feel nostalgic about my lunches with him (and our subsequent conversations on the walk home); we would talk about writing, publishing, submissions (when we worked together at Black Warrior Review), campy TV series we were watching at the time, gossip about our MFA, or life in general. It was a significant aspect of our friendship. Though we rarely critiqued each other’s work in class, these meals and conversations were important to our relationship as friends and writers. It is with this kind of friendship in mind that I (along with the generous donation of an anonymous donor) am offering a small sum of $50 to four pairs of friend-artists who submit portfolios of work (with a short introduction) intended to be used for the winners to get a meal together, see a movie, get a few drinks together at a conference, etc. The key is being together. In this way, the offering is low stakes—with no expectation of production—yet I also hope to encourage writers to look beyond ideas of individual work and success that most competitions encourage and toward a deliberate investment in their relationship with their creative partner.”
DRUE HEINZ LITERATURE PRIZE
Deadline: June 30. “Eligible submissions include an unpublished manuscript of short stories; two or more novellas (a novella may comprise a maximum of 130 double-spaced typed pages); or a combination of one or more novellas and short stories. Novellas are only accepted as part of a larger collection. Manuscripts may be at least 150 and no more than 300 pages.” Open to those writing in English “who have published a book-length collection of fiction or at least three short stories or novellas in magazines or journals of national distribution. Digital-only publication and self-publication do not count toward this requirement.” Confers $15,000, publication by the University of Pittsburgh Press, and promotional support.
BROOKLYN CARIBBEAN LITERARY FESTIVAL (BCLF) SHORT FICTION STORY CONTEST
Deadline: July 1. The 2022 contest “will award US$1750 in cash for each of the two prizes [the BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize and the BCLF Elizabeth Nunez Award for Writers in the Caribbean] for the best piece of unpublished short fiction.” Judges: Katia D. Ulysse and Ifeona Fulani for the Caribbean-American Writer’s Prize and Ayesha Gibson-Gill and Tanya Savage-Batson for the Award for Writers in the Caribbean.
RICHARD MARGOLIS AWARD
Deadline: “Applications are accepted year-round but must be received by July 1 for consideration for the current-year award.” For “a promising new journalist or essayist whose nonfiction work combines warmth, humor, and wisdom and sheds light on issues of social justice. The award honors the life of Richard J. Margolis (1929-1991), a renowned journalist, essayist, and poet who gave eloquent voice to the rural poor, migrant farmworkers, Native Americans, aging adults, and others whose voices are seldom heard. He also wrote several books for children.” The award combines a one-month residency at Blue Mountain Center and a $10,000 prize.
MARLBOROUGH LIT FEST LOVE BOOKS COMPETITION
Deadline: July 1. “We want you to tell us why you love your favorite book, poem, or play. Your response can be in the form of a piece of text of up to 750 words, or through a video of no more than four minutes. Entrants should explain what they love about their chosen read, highlighting key areas of interest, and why they think others should try it. We are looking for creative, passionate, and engaging responses which celebrate your love of reading.” Prizes (£300 for a winner and £100 for a runner-up) will be awarded in each of three age-group categories: “13-16 years, 17-19 years, 20+ years.” Open to entrants outside the UK, “but you need a UK bank account to receive your prize money if you win.” (Hat tip: Sian Meades-Williams’s Freelance Writing Jobs newsletter.)
KINGSLEY AND KATE TUFTS POETRY AWARDS
Deadline: July 1. Based at Claremont Graduate University and given for poetry volumes published in the preceding year, these prizes confer $100,000 (Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award) and $10,000 (Kate Tufts Discovery Award). The current cycle will recognize works published between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022; the Kingsley Tufts award is for a mid-career poet while the Kate Tufts Discovery Award is for “a first book”; the Kingsley Tufts award also requires the winner to spend, within six months of the award presentation, “one week in residence at Claremont Graduate University for lectures, workshops, and poetry readings in Claremont and Greater Los Angeles.” NB: Self-published books are eligible. Note also: “Work must be original poetry written originally in English by a poet who is a citizen or legal resident alien of the United States.”
POETRY COALITION FELLOWSHIPS
Deadline: July 3. “The Poetry Coalition, a network of 25+ poetry organizations coordinated by the Academy of American Poets, is pleased to announce the 2022–2023 Poetry Coalition Fellowships, which are paid fellowship positions for five individuals who will each assist a different Poetry Coalition organization for twenty hours per week throughout forty weeks. The fellows will also receive professional development opportunities. The five organizations hosting Poetry Coalition Fellows this year are Letras Latinas, Mass Poetry, Urban Word, Woodland Pattern, and Youth Speaks….The positions will begin on September 5, 2022, and end on June 30, 2023. Interested individuals that are 21 or older are encouraged to apply, including those who are enrolled in or have recently graduated from an MFA program in creative writing.”
From quarterly zine STANCHION: “Three separate submission windows for Issue 8 will open in early June.” No theme. Pays: “$10, one complimentary copy of that issue of Stanchion, and a discount code to order extra copies.” Windows: June 1-3 for poetry; June 5-7 for “non-poetry”: June 9-11 for visual art.
Opening June 1 (and remain open for the rest of the month): BATH MAGG, “a magazine of new poetry,” for its summer issue. No simultaneous submissions. Payment: £20.
“CUTLEAF will be opening to fiction submissions on June 1. We’re limiting the call to 100 submissions for this reading period, so if you have a piece you’d like to submit, get it ready!” From the guidelines: “Cutleaf is interested in fiction of all shapes and sizes, although we are generally interested in work less than 6,000 words. Longer work must be exceptionally compelling, and we may publish longer works in installments. Short excerpts from longer works are more likely to be accepted when they stand alone as a discrete work. We will read one long piece or up to three short pieces at a time per author. We are also interested in flash fiction with a limit of 1,000 words. Cutleaf will pay from $100 to $400 for published fiction.”
THE MCNEESE REVIEW will open June 1 (and will remain so until August 31) “for submissions of poetry, fiction, and nonfiction for our 2023 print issue.” Payment: “All print contributors receive one contributor copy. We are pleased to also offer a $50 honorarium to print contributors within the U.S. Contributors outside of the U.S. will receive two additional author copies instead of the honorarium.”
Vermont-based international journal MUD SEASON REVIEW will be open during June, though “we may close the reading period early by genre if volume demands.” They’re seeking “deeply human work that will teach us something about life, but also about the craft of writing or visual art, and works that are original in its approach and that in some way moves us.” Payment: “$50 for work that appears in our issues. For artists whose images are paired with writing, and for poets whose work appears in The Take: Mud Season Review, we offer payment of $15.” (Hat tip here goes to the markets newsletter from WOW! Women on Writing.)
TACO BELL QUARTERLY has announced: “TBQ6 will be open June 1st to September 5th for a winter issue. Will pay $100.”
Also opening June 1, Ontario-based THE /TEMZ/ REVIEW. They pay $20 (presumably CAD) for poetry and prose.
I’ve been alerted that in honor of Juneteenth, THE MAINE REVIEW will run a fee-free submissions window from June 13 to June 19. (Another no-fee window, honoring Pride Month, will run from June 27 to July 3.) They publish “contemporary fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, including works in translation and hybrid forms.” Pay rates: “Fiction and Nonfiction writers receive a $25 honorarium per published flash (1,000 words or fewer) and a $50 honorarium for work 1,001 words or more. Poets receive a $25 honorarium per published poem.”
Until June 15, BELL PRESS welcomes submissions for several projects, including two anthologies (one on “Rituals” and the other on “Framework of the Human Body”), paying royalties and “an advance of $15 Canadian before publication.” They’re also receiving submissions for a 2023 Poetry Day Planner, for which payment is “a flat amount of $15 Canadian.”
CHANNEL, an Ireland-based litmag “born out of the climate crisis, publishing poetry and prose with an environmentalist perspective,” will close for submissions of fiction and poetry on June 15. (According to their guidelines, “essay submissions, which will be considered for online publication as well as for our next print issue, are open year-round.”) Payment: “€50 per poem and €50 per page of prose up to a total maximum fee of €150. Contributors will also receive a copy of whichever issue their work appears within.”
Another one closing on June 15: GRAIN, “an internationally acclaimed literary journal that publishes engaging, surprising, eclectic, and challenging writing and art by Canadian and international writers and artists.” Send poetry, fiction, or literary nonfiction (query for other genres). Pays: “All contributors, regardless of genre, are paid $50 per page to a maximum of $250, plus two copies of the issue in which their work appears” (the payment is presumably in Canadian dollars). NB: They do have a Submittable cap.
Also closing June 15: KALEIDOSCOPED, “a new literary magazine formed by MFA students at UC San Diego,” which is currently seeking submissions on the theme of “Ghosts and Gossip.” Pays: $20. (Hat tip: @Duotrope.)
FOYER, a UK-based “independent magazine celebrating and exploring untold stories from people of mixed, third culture and second-generation cultural heritage,” welcomes pitches and submissions for its first issue, on the theme of “Connect,” until June 17. Pays: £75.
THE PURITAN seeks submissions “all year round, from anywhere in the world,” but work received by June 25 will be considered for the summer issue. NB: “Please note that we can only issue payments using PayPal or a cheque in the mail. We also pay in CAD.” Pay rates range from $25-$200. “Please note that we can only issue payments using PayPal, Canadian bank e-transfer, or a cheque in the mail. We also pay in CAD. We can pay using Western Union [except to Nigeria] if no other option is available.”
Until June 27, CREATIVE NONFICTION/IN FACT BOOKS seeks “essays by and about nurses for an expanded anniversary edition of I Wasn’t Strong Like This When I Started Out: True Stories of Becoming a Nurse. “We’re looking especially for pandemic-era stories, which examine the complex and essential role nurses of all kinds have played in providing care and guidance for patients and families, as well as the ways in which the pandemic has affected both individuals and the healthcare system.” Payment is unspecified, but “this is a paying market. All submissions will be considered for the book and might also be considered for other CNF projects.”
Attention, Canadians! CLOUD LAKE LITERARY seeks submissions. “We currently publish fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and children’s literature (ages up to and including YA).” Receives submissions year-round, but work received by June 30 will be considered for the fall issue. Payment: $50 CAD per page to a maximum of CAD 150.
The Rainbow Issue of FAIRY TALE REVIEW “will be dedicated to queer fairy tales written by queer writers” and will remain open for submissions until June 30. “While The Rainbow Issue will be dedicated to queer fairy-tale poetry and prose written by writers who self-identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community, we are especially interested in submissions by writers working at the intersection of queerness, including women and nonbinary writers, BIPOC, writers with disabilities, and writers from other marginalized and underrepresented groups in mainstream publishing.” Pays: “Contributors will receive two (2) issues of The Rainbow Issue and a $50 honorarium upon publication.”
FREEZE FRAME FICTION also remains open for submissions until June 30. Submissions should be “1000 words or less, any genre, no content restrictions. We want your science fiction, fantasy, horror, mystery, drama, literary works, satire, bizarre fiction, or anything else you can come up with or mix. The more original, the better. The weirder, the better.” Pays: “$10 per accepted piece.”
June 30 is the deadline for pamphlet submissions at NEON BOOKS: “Neon Books publishes a selection of paper broadsides and pamphlets, which are sent out for free with print orders….We’re looking for short works, such as individual poems, small sets of very short poems, or short pieces of fiction. Hybrid works, comics, and illustrated pieces are also very welcome….We enjoy pieces that can be presented interestingly or unusually. If you can think of an interesting way of presenting your work, please do include a note describing this in your cover letter. There’s no need to format your work ready for printing.” Will consider reprints. Payment: “a one-off fee of £25 on acceptance.”
June 30 is also the deadline for submissions for NEW GOTHIC REVIEW, which seeks “previously unpublished short stories that reimagine Gothic fiction for the 21st century.” Pays: “a flat $65 for stories (paid within 30 days of acceptance).”
THREAD COUNT, too, remains open until June 30. This publication “accepts original and previously unpublished works of prose, poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and hybrid text, but we prefer writing that resists such classifications. Primarily we focus on hybrid works between prose poetry and flash fiction.” Pays: $25. (Thanks to FlashFictionFlash for introducing me to this one.)
THE WILLOWHERB REVIEW, which “aims to provide a digital platform to celebrate and bolster nature writing by emerging and established writers of color,” is open for submissions until June 30 (“23.59[BST]”). “We’re looking for previously unpublished prose—non-fiction especially, but we will consider fiction and poetry—on nature, place, and environment.” Pays: “£250 for prose, £100 for poetry.”
Closing to poetry submissions July 1: Canada-based MINOLTA REVIEW, which welcomes work “from all those who identify as women and non-binary writers.” Pays: $25 per published poem presumably in Canadian dollars). Note also that they’re open to book review pitches and, beginning with their September issue, will pay $20 per published 250-500 word review. (Thanks to WOW! Women on Writing’s Markets Newsletter for the reminder about this one.)
SUBSTANTIALLY UNLIMITED, which “welcomes submissions from anyone who considers themselves disabled, or substantially limited, socially, emotionally, cognitively, or mentally,” remains open for submissions on the theme of “stigma” until July 1. Pays: “$15 per published piece via Venmo or Paypal.” (Hat tip: @Duotrope.)
Australia-based podcast PILLOW TALKING “is always looking for first-person, narrative/creative nonfiction stories of real-life bedroom conversations. This podcast wouldn’t exist without people choosing to share their intimate conversations. Whether they are thought-provoking, funny, heart-breaking, or silly this takes trust, vulnerability, and some guts, and I consider receiving each story a huge privilege and responsibility. You can submit from wherever in the world you happen to be.” Upcoming themes include “Blue” (with a June 4 deadline); “Suddenly Strangers” (June 18); and “Sanctuary” (July 2). Payment: “$25AUD, paid via PayPal or Stripe, within 1 week of the episode going to air.”
From the new journal BROKEN GLASS: “Do you write poetry? Tell stories? Conduct interesting interviews? If so, send us your work. We are starting a new digital magazine and want to hear from you! We focus on moments that embody the change that help readers experience perspective-altering inspiration, with an emphasis on the show over tell. Art, video, fiction, non-fiction, interviews, investigative reporting, fashion, design, book reviews, and more – if it fits our focus, we’d love to see your work. Submissions are free, and we offer honoraria of $50-200 for each piece selected to be published.” No deadline explicitly stated, but “submissions will be reviewed starting July 1.”
It may seem that lots of journals close for subs during the northern hemisphere’s summer, and yes—many do! But some remain open year-round. CRAFT is one. Pays: “$100 for original flash and $200 for original short fiction and creative nonfiction.” They also publish “essays on writing craft, critical literary analyses, book annotations/reviews, and interviews….All work in this section is concerned with fiction or creative nonfiction. Please do not send critical work about poetry, film, or any other genres….We pay $50 for craft and critical essays, and we pay $50 for most standard interviews and $100 for hybrid interviews (a critical essay paired with a Q&A).”
Similarly, FRACTURED LIT “is open year-round and is available to all writers. We currently feature two separate submission categories, based on the length of the work submitted: Micro Fiction, for work under 400 words; and Flash Fiction, for work 401-1,000 words.” Pays: “$50 for original micro fiction and $75 for original flash fiction.”
Reminder from THE MASTER’s REVIEW: “Our New Voices category is open year-round to any new or emerging author who has not published a work of fiction or narrative nonfiction of novel-length with a wide distribution. Authors with short story collections are free to submit, as are writers with books published by indie presses.” Pays: “We pay New Voices authors $200 for short fiction and narrative non-fiction, and $100 for flash-length narratives (up to 1,000 words).”
Likewise, at FRONTIER POETRY “submissions for our New Voices, poetry category is open year-round to any new and emerging poet who has not published more than one full-length collection of poetry. New Voices are published online only and will feature several poems from new authors each month.” Payment: “$50 per poem, up to $150.”
THE SUN welcomes submissions of personal essays, fiction, and poetry. “Personal stories that touch on political and cultural issues are welcome.” Pay rates: $300-$2,000 for essays and fiction; $100-$250 for poetry.
Another one that’s open year-round: THE WEST REVIEW, “a literary journal founded on the West Coast that seeks to promote and publish quality literature from our local, national, and international communities, which pays $10/poem and prose piece (via Paypal). NB: “We are primarily a poetry journal & only very rarely publish fiction. Before submitting, please read the prose included in prior issues to see if your work would be a good match.”
ORCA, which “publishes short stories and flash fiction, and a limited amount of nonfiction,” offers space for 100 free submissions each month. “If the fee-free submission forms do not appear, it means the 100 free submissions have been used for that month, and the free portals will reopen at the start of the next month.” They publish three issues each year: “two literary issues and one literary-speculative.” Payment: “$50 for published short stories and $25 for flash fiction.” (Thanks to Nancy Ludmerer for alerting me to the fee-free submissions policy.)
From CREATIVE NONFICTION: “We’re looking for writing about writing—smart and insightful ideas related to the art, craft, history, or philosophy of creative nonfiction.” Check the guidelines for details on what they’re looking for (and what they’re not looking for), and note that they seem especially interested right now in pitches addressing “voice in creative nonfiction” and flash nonfiction. “This is a paying market,” but pay rates aren’t specified; no deadline is specified, either.
Reminder: SHORT STORY, which aims to “revive the art of the short story, support artists, and produce something wonderful,” selects one story for publication each month and considers reprints. Pays: “base pay of $100 for the chosen story + 50% of subscription revenue to be sent by Paypal, Zelle, or check.”
And another reminder: Make it a habit to check the CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL website, where titles in development are posted. “If this is your first time, please visit our Story Guidelines page.” Pays: $200 plus 10 free copies.
The newsletter is published just once each month, but there’s always something new on the Practicing Writing blog:
(Monday) Markets and Jobs for Writers (including opportunities that don’t make it into the monthly newsletter)
Midweek Notes from a Practicing Writer
(Friday) Finds for Writers
Sunday Sentence
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7. NEWSLETTER MATTERS
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About the editor: Erika Dreifus is a writer, teacher, and literary consultant whose books include Birthright: Poems and Quiet Americans: Stories. A Fellow in the Sami Rohr Jewish Literary Institute and an adjunct associate professor at Baruch College/CUNY, she lives in New York. Please visit ErikaDreifus.com to learn more about her work and follow her on Facebook and/or Twitter, where she tweets “on matters bookish and/or Jewish.”
Hello and welcome to my daily Three Things Challenge!
Having passed the milestone of 1000 3TCs, we start again from #1 but numbers will now begin with a prefix of M, which is the Roman numeral for 1000.
I also thought I’d introduce a theme each week, though the words can be used in a variety of contexts, so use your imagination, read the prompt and see where your creativity takes you. Your post doesn’t have to be connected to the theme though and you can use all three words, two or just one. There are no restrictions regarding length, style, or genre, but please remember to keep it family friendly.
Tag your responses with 3TC, #threethingschallenge or TTC and you can also add my logo if you wish. Invite us along by creating a pingback to this post, then leave your link in the comments so that other people can read your writings and I’ll see it to respond to you directly. Maybe you’d like to check out some by other bloggers while you’re there.
Although I schedule the challenge to go out around 6.00 am UK time, pingbacks have to be approved manually so don’t worry if they don’t show immediately. This could be because I’m late accessing my blog or due to time differences, but I will get there, I promise!
Thank you all for your continued support and as always I look forward to reading your contributions.
I’ve chosen the theme of motorways, roads and traffic this week.
Your three words today are:
BEND
LIGHTS
BYPASS
That’s it for the free advice. Hit me up if you have any concerns or wish to add to the list of useful sites.
Busan, Korea
surrounded by water
like San Francisco
Busan is my favorite Korean city. It remains me of the San Francisco Bay Area where I am from.
I first went to Busan when I was in the Peace Corps, when I had friends visiting me from the States. Then I went again when I was teaching for the U.S. Army in 1982. I last went there about ten years ago and stayed with a Korean friend and had a whirlwind tour ,but did not get to see the city as much as we would have liked.
We had a week to use up a discounted travel coupon. One thing I like about the city is that it reminds me of the SF Bay area, and it is a very colorful dynamic city. Has some of the best seafood in the country. It is a very creative city, lots of Korean movies and TV series have been filmed here and lots of actors and singers are from here.
They have their way of doing things. Including their brand of Soju (hint: not very good in my humble opinion, worth trying but packs a vicious hangover). We decided we want to go back and spend more time in Busan soon and not wait another ten years!
gwanalli beach scene 3
Monday, May 16, 2022
We arrived in Busan on the KTX train at 4 pm and checked into the hotel. Then we went to Jagalchi fish market for dinner and to walk around. We walked back to the station, which took about an hour. Along the way, we saw parts of the Gujke market and the Lotte mall. We had a decent sashimi dinner and tried the local soju.
Tokoyo Inn Hotel
We stayed at the Tokoyu Inn Hotel – a Japanese business traveler budget hotel. It is very efficiently run. The rooms are small but very efficiently laid out with great Fungshi according to my wife who is into that sort of thing. The breakfast is adequate and included. They are very rigid about check-in and check-out procedures. The staff speak passable English and Japanese as well. The clients were a mixture of Korean, Japanese, and Europeans. The location can’t be beaten right across from the KTX station. There are five branches in Busan, Tokoyu 1 and 2 near the train station, two in Haeundae, and one other location.
Chinatown Shanghai Street Across From Busan Station
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The oldest Chinese community in Busan is called Shanghai Street, right across from Busan station. There is a traditional gate to Chinatown on the main road running past the train station. Shanghai street is still the center of the Chinese community. There is an overseas Chinese elementary school in Chinatown. Back in the day it was run down a bit but has been spiffed up a bit and is now a tourist attraction. The signs are all in English, Korean, Chinese, Tagalog, and Russian since it is next door to Texas Street which is now mostly catering to Filipinos and Russians. The tourist info center here has nice exhibits on the history of the area and the staff were very helpful.
Busan’s Chinatown only consists of a long street in front of Busan Station (where you can take the KTX). This place is very… special I would say.
Texas Street Across the street from Busan Station
texas street busan
A notorious red-light district – catering to sailors and foreign tourists -upgraded a bit. Used to have a lot of American tourists but now has a lot of Russians and Filipinos.
Sep 4, 2020 … I wasn’t expecting to see Texas Street in Busan. It isn’t uncommon to see cutesy-themed streets or villages in Korea and we’ve come across …
Choryang Traditional Market
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Choryang traditional market is one of the oldest traditional markets in the city. It is located just north of Texas Street. On the other end of the market, the Choryang stream has been restored. The stream bed leads up to a Buddhist temple at the top of the hill.
By any standards, this is a relatively small market. It’s where locals go marketing and eating. It has anything from fresh fish to clothes and street food on sale …
TRADITIONAL KOREAN MARKET TOUR of Choryang Shijang ???? Busan Day 2. Welcome back to our Busan series! It’s Day 2 and we’re checking out a traditional …
Include Shopping in your Choryang Market tour in South Korea with details like location, timings, reviews & ratings. Get contact details & maps for shopping …
Nov 15, 2019 … Busan’s vitality is best captured in markets BUSAN — The port city of … also known as Choryang Street for Foreigners, or Texas Street, …
Busanjin Market is an indoor shopping mall with hundreds of small shops selling clothes, textiles, and souvenirs at reasonable prices. It’s one of the best …
이바구가 머꼬?
Choryang Ibagu-Gil Road Exit 7 Busan Station Between Chinatown and Texas Street
There are five history walks -along the Ibagu-Gil roads that go up into the hills.
We did the Choryang Ibagu-Gil trail. The trail starts opposite the train station, heading north just past Texas street. Choryang Ibagu-Gil. All the pathways are illustrated by yellow trail markers with the English words Story Land. The locals don’t seem to know where anything is or care and certainly are unaware of the history.
There are lots of small houses crammed in along the narrow road. There are some more modern buildings as well. A very colorful area – the area was largely settled by war refugees after the Korean war. You can get the brochures at the KTX tourism info stand. Make sure you pick up both the English and Korean brochures
The trail is about 3 k long but is pretty steep. The signs are sparse but there – look for yellow signs with English words Story Telling on them.
It starts walking by the old Namseon storage area – the first modern warehouse in Korea then goes by the first hospital (Baekwhajee) which has been transformed into a bookstore and retail building, preserving much of the old hospital grounds. Damage Gallery and Dong-gu insamul mural on the side of the elementary school depicts famous people from the neighborhood, including the famous signer Cho, Youngpil. Then there are 168 steps and the monorail to the top of the hill. The monorail was closed the day we went. There is also an old 19th-century Church with photos of the original missionary founders on the wall. There is an observatory Kim min-bu observatory which had great views we stopped by. There were a few more places of interest we did not visit including Ibabu Gongakso studio where performances take place, Jangjiryeo Naun center Ibagu center which supports residents in the area, Café Choryang, Yuchi-hwan Post box which commemorates a famous poet from the area (Cheongmu Yuchi-hwan and Kkakomak guest house at the top of the road.
Korea-Japan Exchange Road 1 k
Another walk takes you past the Sejeong dong Japanese-style houses along the Korea-Japan exchange street. There is a traditional tea house there called the Munwha Gongan Seojong
Horangi Ibagu-Gil Road Beomil station line 1 exit 7 2.6 K
Start at the Hyundai Department store which has a signboard outside listing the nearby sites to see. The path crosses over the “friend” bridge near the old Samil theater, then goes through the Beomil Golmok market, there is a stone monument for the Hongcheon stone bridge that crosses the Hongcheon stream bed. In the old days, there were lots of tigers (호랑이horangi ) in the area, hence the name of the road. The Beomil Golmok market used to be famous for sign making and that is commemorated in the market, then goes by the former Samil Gomu which was a rubber factory under the Japanese and later the center of the shoe industry, the factory burned down in 1980. There are signs commemorating the woman workers of the shoe factories. Along the way, murals are depicting the famous movie theaters that once dotted the area (all long closed) the road goes by the Dangsan’s memories observatory commemorates the people of the neighborhood, which was largely settled by North Korean refugees during the Korean war, there is a repatriated compatriots village where a lot of Koreans returned from Japan after the war and settled in the neighborhood. There is a “horangi” (tiger) rest area after the village before you make the final climb to the top of the road. The road passes by Rev. Moon Sung-Myeong’s first church, and the area is sacred to the “Moonies” unification church. The top of the hill is called Anchang Horangi village which is where a lot of factory workers settled and is still a blue color neighborhood and finally a shrine to Christal Beckman a famous missionary who was a beloved figure in the neighborhood.
Lee Jae-Seob’s Viewpoint Beomil Station line 1 exit 7 and 9.46 K
This path goes from a famous gallery to an observatory with a nice view walking through another traditional neighborhood. The gallery and observatory commemorate the famous Busan artist Lee Jung-Seob.
Other notable streets in the area include Jwacheon Dong furniture street and Joban’s specialized street market.
Busanpo-Gaehanggado Road Jwacheon Station line 1 exit 5 28 k
This is a 28 k walk that starts at Jungsan park Jwacheon station exit 5 line one and ends at Jaesongdae park passing through colorful old neighborhoods such as Maechuki village, Jeongjung altar which commemorates General Jeong Bal and other military people who died during the Imjin war invasion of Busan, and passes by Busanjin Ilsin Woman’s school which was the first woman school in Busan, and later the center of resistance against the Japanese, General An Young bok memorial which celebrates Busan’s opening, and resistance to the Japanese occupation of Dokdo, and the Busapo Gaehangado road ends with 190 step stairway but there is an elevator next to it. The view from the top is they say worth the trip but we did not have time to go.
From the outer fortress of Busanjinseong to Jeonggongdan Altar, Ilsin Girls’ School and Busanpo Opening Cultural Center, Busanpo Gaehanggado Road that …
Busanpo Gaehanggado Road. Ilsin Christian Hospital → Memorial Monument for Reverend McKenzie → Jeonggongdan Altar → Rev. Dr. Gelson Engel Memorial Hall …
Explore Choryang Ibagu-Gil Road when you travel to Choryang. Read Expedia’s guide to find out everything you need to know about visiting Choryang Ibagu-Gil …
Choryang Story The Way: ibagu gill(road) – See 61 traveler reviews, 115 candid photos, and great deals for Busan, South Korea, at Tripadvisor.
부산 자갈치시장 Jagalchi Market Jagalchi Station Line 1
jaljaci-market- lobster
On our first night in town, we went to the Jalgalchi fish market. It is a very colorful place. Most active in the morning when the fisher people come back from fishing and they auction off the fish to retailers and restaurants. You can buy your fish and take it to a restaurant where they will prepare it or buy it at the restaurant. We opted for the latter. We had a decent Sashimi dinner and tried the local Soju. The price was quite reasonable – we spent $60.00 for two people including soju. This area has not changed that much since I was last there years ago, and even 42 years ago. It has been cleaned up a bit, there are parking garages nearby, a big Lotte mall, the subway stop, and another shopping mall but it looks and feels much like it did back in the day.
Jagalchi Market, located on the seaside road in Busan’s Jung-gu, is Korea’s largest seafood market, selling both live and dried fish. After the Korean War, …
Jagalchi consists of countless stalls in alleys that run towards the main market building. everyone is selling live fish and every other seafood you can think of…
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Haeundae is the biggest and most famous beach in Busan. Lots of high-end hotels and restaurants in the area. There are budget hotels around as well.
We spend the whole afternoon wandering around the Haeundae beach area. We got there during the sandcastle contest and saw all the sandcastles that were built for the festival. We went to the traditional sashimi street and had a good meal there. We went to Sealife aquarium which was a bit pricey at $30.00 but I suppose worth it in the end.
Haeundae has a population of about 423,000, the most populous district of Busan with 11.6% of the city population, and covers an area of 51.44 km² (19.86 s
Gwangalli beach is the beach that locals go to and is not as overwhelmed as Haeundae can be. It is also a more inexpensive place to stay as there are lots of budget hotels and villas for rent behind the main beach road. The back alleyways are filled with coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants and are a colorful area.
We had dinner in the famous sushi sashimi row street which a local placard claim is the largest collection of sashimi restaurants in the world. We had a decent meal for about $60.00.
This beach is located about 20 minutes from Busan’s overcrowded and overhyped Haeundae Beach in Suyeong-gu. This beach is less glamorous, but just as fun and …
35, Centum Nam-daero, Haeundae-gu 1F, Shinsegae Mall Centum City, Busan 48058 South Korea. 1.2 miles from Gwangalli Beach. Experiences from $800.
Millack Fish Street and Waterside Park
We had a nice talk while walking about Millack Fish street and waterside park which is just to the north of Gwangalli and south of Haeundae. There is a trail connecting the two beaches.
There is a long-range plan to link all the coastal beaches in the Busan Gyeonsan region through a bike/hiking trail.
We had a nice sashimi dinner again for about $30.00 per person.
yongdusan-park-Busan-wooden-deer-1-rotated.jpg June 1, 2022
Art Galleries in BusanDepartment Stores in BusanFactory Outlets in BusanFlea & Street Markets in BusanShopping Malls in BusanSpeciality & Gift Shops in …
Today, we invite you to the Millak-dong Cafe Street, which is quite close to the … Gwangalli Beach and is one of the most recognizable tourist sites in Busan, …
Head to Busan’s most popular beach for a day of swimming, building sandcastles, and … homeware and souvenirs, and sample typical Korean street food at this …
Busan Beomeosa Temple (범어사(부산)) beomunsa station line one exit five transfer to bus number 90. The bus stop is down an alleyway from the station and runs every 20 minutes.
I last saw Beomunsa back in 1982.
I stayed two nights in Dondae hot springs then went to the Pusan Fortress (lookup name in Korean) and Beomunsa temple. Had to take local buses everywhere as there were no subways in Busan back then.
Beomunsa is one of the oldest temples in Korea dating back to the late 7th century during the Shilla dynasty.
The temple was very impressive back then and has been further restored since then. It is one of the temple stay temples – always wanted to do that but that like many things has been put on hold by COVID.
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For more information see
ps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beomeosa”>
Beomeosa – Wikipedia
Beomeosa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism in Cheongnyong-dong, Geumjeong-gu, Busan, South Korea. Built on the slopes of Geumjeongsan, …
Beomeosa Temple is located on the eastern side of Geumjeongsan Mountain, a famous mountain in Busan. It was founded by monk Uisang in 678, the 18th year of …
meosa is a Seon meditation-based temple, a place where people can meditate and clear their minds. Through meditation, all pointless and distracting thoughts …
This is a very fine Buddhist temple located in the hills around Busan. It is nice in the fall because of the orange and red colors of the trees. It is a …
Beomeosa Temple. Along with Haeinsa Temple in Hapcheon and Tongdosa Temple in Yangsan, it is one of three Yeongnam temples. In addition, it serves as one …
Dongdae Hot springs 동래온천 metro line one ochcheong station
One of the joys of travel is the occasional random encounters with memorable characters. We ran into an old Korean lady in front of the map. The map was next to a tourist stamp machine. The idea was you would wander about and collect stamps at each of the items listed. The items would be next to a sign depicting the area’s attractions. We walked about the area but did not do the stamp. The lady told us about the stamp and she said that she had found everything but one item and complained that none of the locals had a clue about where things were.
There are outside the train station two maps on the opposite side of each other with contradictory information about the area. There is a restored stream bed park I want to check out (I love the stream bed parks all over Korea – something that Korean should be proud of having accomplished and promote a lot more) we walked about the hot spring area which is closed down due to COVID but I assume will be re-opening in due course. We can see what it might have been back in the day.
There was good signage in English about the attractions of the area. I did see a sign in English for a local hotel that got lost in translation.
Why not stay in the Dream motel where your dreams are killers. ( attached photo here).
When I stayed there back in the day, it was a much more low-key area. Now there are lots of high-rise apartments and the train station as well, and English language signs and the aforementioned tourist stamps kiosks.
There are are a number of other hot springs in the Busan area. The most famous are in Haeundae, and Taedongdae. I want to go back and check them out once COVID is finally over.
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Donglai Hot Spring is a good place for vacation and leisure. The hot spring is very natural. There are also swimming pools and very luxurious hotels. The resort …
The water temperature in the Dongnae hot springs fluctuates between 45 and 60 degrees celsius (113 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit). Hot springs offer several …
Dongdae Oncheong-cheon metro line one ochcheong station
As you may know, I am a big fan of the restored stream bed parks all over Korea. We did not get to this one but it is a nice one particularly when the Cherry trees are blooming. For my next trip to Busan! For more information see the following:
Oncheon-cheon is a tributary of the Suyeong River [ko] in Busan, South Korea. It was previously known as the Seocheon or Dongnaecheon. … The Oncheon Stream Park along the banks o…
Busan #tour #springBusan’s central Oncheoncheon Stream flows from Geumjeong-gu (district) through Yeonje-gu and Dongnae-gu to the …
Suyeong River Walk
We drove by on the bus. The river has been restored and is lined on both sides with bike and walking paths and restaurants nearby. Worth a stop next time I am in town.
Suyeong-gu was created in 1995 following its separation from Nam-gu. It is the border in the North-East by the Suyeonggang River. The name ‘Suyeong’ came from …
Suyeong River is a 6.1 mile (14,000-step) route located near Dongnae-gu, Busan, South Korea. This route has an elevation gain of about 0 ft and is rated as …
Suyoung River Walk is a 5.2-mile (12000-step) route located near Busan, South Korea. This route has an elevation gain of about 91.8 ft and is rated as easy.
Nakong River
This is the main river in Busan and is one of the largest rivers in Korea. It is the center of the freshwater eel fishery industry and is a place I want to visit someday. It is lined with bike paths and walking paths that eventually reach Seoul. It is one of the four river projects that was controversial ten years ago.
The Nakdong River or Nakdonggang (Korean pronunciation: [nakt͈oŋgaŋ]) is the longest river in South Korea and passes through major cities such as Daegu and …
Songdo Beach 송도해수욕장… nearest subway is Nampo Line one.
Transportation tip:
To get to either Songdo or Deadongdae you can catch the bus at Nampo station on the number one line or from Pusan station as well. We took bus 30 to Songdo and did the cloud walk trail on Amnan mountain. From there to Songdo beach you can take the cable car or you can take the bus, or you can walk along two bike/walking paths one on top of the hill, the other along the water. It is about a 4 k walk. We took the bus after walking the cloud bridge. We got there by mistake. But it was a nice walk and view.
Then we went to Songdo and walked about the beach. We saw signs all along of massive development coming to the area. There is an old ally way that is lined with restaurants, but most are being torn down to build luxury high-rise apartment buildings. There are several American and Western hotels in the area as well.
Songdo is the oldest public beach in Korea, it opened in 1913. But in the late 80, it entered a period of decline due to storm damage the cable car was shut down and the beach was badly eroded. The city government started a massive campaign to restore the beach and they have included restoring the cable car that goes across the beach.
But now that property developers have moved in, all the small restaurants that lined the back alleys will be replaced. In a few years, it will look and feel like Heunundae.
We had a decent fish lunch. We ate Gulbi (semi-dried fish) stew for 30 dollars.
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street-poetry-songdo-beachSsong
Songdo Street poetry
by Chungwon Lee
The sea is people’s favorite place
the mountian is people’s favotire place too
How nice it would be
if the sea and mountain are seated together
and if there are bright moon and cool stars
Don’t you agree that place
I fall in love with this place when I arrive at the park. I started around noon time from Songdo beach. I walked to Busan National Geopark, where the …
Songdo Beach is more popular with residents than other touristic beaches of Busan such as Haeundae or Gwanganli. If you prefer a comparatively quiet beach, Songdo …
Things to Do near Songdo Beach; Songdo Cable Car · 98 Reviews. Songdokeibeulka 171 Songdohaebyeon-ro, Busan 49269 South Korea; Songdo Skywalk · 127 Reviews. 129&nbs…
Songdo Beach is 800 meters long and 50 meters wide. The average water level is 1~1.5 meters. It is located 3 kilometers from Busan’s Jagalchi Market and was …
Songdo Beach is a man-made beach in Busan, South Korea. … It was created in 1913. … The name “Songdo” (the Island of Pines) was given due to the thick pine …
Jul 13, 2020 … Songdo Beach was the first public beach in Korea, so a sign te
Taejongdae
We took the bus to Taejongdae from Songdo. Took about 45 minutes. We saw a lot of Busan along the way. We went through a working-class neighborhood and then crossed the bridge to the Yeongdo island. The island is hard to get to from the rest of Busan, there is no subway nearby. The road is narrow and I am sure that traffic will be bad during commutes.
There are several institutions out on the island, the Busan Coast Guard facility is there, there is a Korean Maritime University that trains people to work in the merchant shipping field, and several Buddhist temples. It is also where foreign cruise ships used to dock and no doubt will come again as COVID continues to recede. There is also a coastal walk all along the coast which I would love to do someday.
There is also a hot springs area closed down due to COVID.
The highlight is Taejongdae Park at the southern tip of the island. We took the tram-train around to the various sights. Great views from the observatory, and the lighthouse. There are two small Buddhist temples on the mountain.
The trail around the mountain is about 5 k long and is not too difficult a trail.
Coming back we found a bus that took us back to Pusan station in about 30 minutes.
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Taejongdae is a natural park of Busan with magnificent cliffs facing the open sea on the southernmost tip of the island of Yeongdo-gu. Taejongdae was named after …
Jan 5, 2014 … Established in 1967, Taejongdae is a beautiful seaside park. The island Taejongdae sits upon is a natural barrier protecting the Busan port so …
Jun 28, 2019 … Busan’s Nampo-Dong is the easiest point from downtown Busan to get to Taejongdae, and you can get off at the Nampo subway station on Line 1 and take …
The multicolored rocky coast boasts its beauty formed by years of crashing waves. We’re talking about Taejongdae Park at the southern end of Yeongdo, Busan.
Haedong Youngjungsa Temple
On our last full day in Busan, we took a long bus ride (bus 1001) through Busan from the train station to Haedong Yungjunsa temple. We found that in Seoul the buses are often faster than the subway and you can see a lot of the city from the bus. The bus took us through many neighborhoods and we saw a lot from the bus including Centrum towers, the BEXCO conference center, large shopping malls, and the Lotte World amusement park.
We got off and had a great seafood lunch again for about $30.00 per person, then we walked to the Haedong Yungjunsa temple which is the only Buddhist temple near the ocean. It bills itself as the most beautiful temple in Korea and that is not an exaggeration. It is a very impressive place with spectacular ocean views. Then we took the bus back to enjoy the bus tour.
haedong-yonggunsa-temple-3-rotated.jpg June 1, 2022
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Seongjong Beach
We wanted to check out this beach but ran out of steam. It is not as developed or trendy as the other beaches but people say it is worth stopping off. Avanti cove is nearby where there is a big Hilton beach hotel, and further up the coast are smaller beaches Ligawan beach, and Imgna beaches. I will hit those on my next trip!
The beach is great for swimming during the summer months, and it is full of places to eat and dine and have coffee with friends all year round. It is very open …
Songjeong Beach, known as one of the three major beaches of eastern Busan alongside Haeundae and Gwangalli, is a popular family vacation destination thanks to …
Imnang Beach 임랑해수욕장
Imnang beach is another beach I wanted to check out but ran out of time. It is located close to Songeon beach and the Lotte World amusement park. There is a Hilton beach resort at the beach.
Summer is the sea and the sea in Busan, but this beach is not known to outsiders yet. Imnang Beach is the beach loved by the people of Busan and considered …
“The sea here is very clear, reflecting the blue sky and white clouds, the sandy quality of the beach is also very soft, stepping on it is very comfortable, …
Jul 1, 2018 … The official website of Busan Metropolitan City. Find information about the city government, news, events, residents, and business, …
Yongdusa Park 용두산
Nampo Line One
On our last day in Busan, we had a few hours to kill before catching the train back. We went to Yongudsa Park Busan’s equivalent of Seoul’s Namsam park or Incheon’s Jayu park. The park features Busan’s tower but it was closed on Mondays. the park is best reached by the escalator that runs to the park near the BIF Shopping mall behind Nampo station.
The park has two quirky things about it. First, there are wooden statues of deer everywhere.
And the trees all have poems on them.
There is also a statue of Admiral Yi – who saved Busan during the Imjin invasions.
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Tree Poem my translation
I should not allow myself
to surrender to another’s feelings
I should not allow myself
to lose myself
in another’s thoughts
lose myself
in another expectations
without me
my Life is meaningless
Yongdusan Park is a park located in Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea. The 120-meter-high Busan Tower is located here. Yongdusan Park. Yongdusan Park at night.
The symbolic 120m high Busan Tower is located at Yongdusan Park, together with Admiral Yi SunSin Statue, Dragon Sculpture, Bell of the Citizens & Flower …
Busan sightseeing tours often include a stop at the park, along with other attractions such as Gamcheon Culture Village, Gukje Market, Jagalchi Fish Market, and …
If Haeundae is the hot spot of east Busan, Nampo-dong is the most popular place in central Busan. Yongdusan Park is a leading landmark of Busan frequented …
Chongyang Waegwan
As we left the park, we walked through a historic district Chongang waewan which was the only authorized trading post between Japan and Korea in the 16th to 19th centuries. The exact location is marked on a placard and map but nothing else remains.
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author at a Korean temple 1980?
author at a Korean temple 1980?
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