Tucumcari 

Book Launch at Poets' Hall. 
More info forthcoming. 

Tucumcari

Life has been a roller coaster. I know that’s cliché but, it’s the truth. Maybe instead I should say it’s been a hay ride over beautiful verdant rolling hills and reeking horse dung. I’ve been living on the edge, the edge of family, relationships, Tucumcari, Tucson, Perry Square, Erie and above all           
life.

The book, Tucumcari, written by my partner Geoff Peterson and me, is coming out July, 2012. It reveals more about me than I thought I would ever reveal to anyone, let alone unidentified readers. I’m not used to letting others know so much. I like to be mysterious. I like to think that no one knows where I come from or who I am. But reveal it does.

I think the story of what could have been is the story of a lot of people. The search for what could be, if only, is common to many. The presentation is unique, original and candid.

I hope you find Tucumcari, familiar, funny, difficult, a tale of yourself, but if none of that, at the very least, 
a worthwhile read.  

Lying here beside the radio, listening to Harry Chapin. All those not “Cats in the Cradle.” Not that, that is a bad song. Just way overplayed.

Mr. Tanner is the one that really rocks; it really means something.

Poets' Hall also rocks so keep up on events there.

It’s Been a While

There are several events that I hope you readers will attend, but I’ll get to those maybe tomorrow. It’s been a while since I blogged, months in fact. I thought I should get something up and keep this blog going.  For some reason I feel freer to express myself here. Maybe it’s because I have so few followers at this point, so I feel nearly anonymous, even though I full well know that everything I write and upload here is available to anyone and everyone. Maybe that makes me an exhibitionist who thinks she lives in incarceration, exposing herself fully, limited only by an imagined prison cell. I think that the Internet is that way for many people. Maybe that’s good in some ways, but there are consequences to that logic, and I use the word "logic" loosely here.

I’m back to talking to the paintings on my walls. The one of the Native American woman grinding cornmeal; my mother painted it more than sixty years ago. The painting I often long to escape into, just like that Twilight Zone episode of the former Nazi commander who regularly visits an art museum and admires a painting of a man fishing off the side of a boat, but when he is being chased by police, he wishes himself into the wrong painting. The painting next to the fisherman which is a painting of Jesus hanging on a cross, but of course  -   his wish is fulfilled. I may have some of that wrong, but that’s how I remember it. Maybe it was a Night Gallery episode. Funny how memory is not very exact. From what I understand memory is filtered experience. It is the filtered experience that we function with, and I use the word "function" loosely here.

I also often talk to the painting of me at the age of three or four that my mother painted. I bounce back and forth telling her I hate her and I love her like an episode of Point/Counterpoint from 60 Minutes . Does anyone remember that? No, no, it’s more like that scene in the movie Change of Habit where Mary Tyler Moore’s character is trying to decide whether she should remain a nun or go with her libido and choose Elvis’s character, who by the way, is a doctor. She looks at Jesus on a cross, then Elvis, a statue of Mary, then Elvis, some other Catholic thing I don't understand and then Elvis. This tells me that Elvis is god and frankly that makes a helluva lot more sense to me than anything else in religion.

I just realized that I wish to be in each of my Mom’s paintings depending on my mood. I look at myself in the pixie haircut and huge brown eyes that I had before I knew the things I know now. When I had so much innocence and was sure that everything I was told was gospel.  Well . . . hmmm. . . I guess it was in certain definitions, to someone, somewhere, like my mom.

But like I said, I mostly wish I was in the painting Mom did when she lived in Phoenix, the one of the native woman, just to be somewhere I’m not. It represents a life that would be or could be, more on that later. As a descendant of Irish immigrants and the Cherokee nation, I know I could be a scullery maid anywhere. So I have the stuff to survive.

Next post will be upcoming events.

Date Change for Erie Book Store Farewell

Poetry Scene

Final lineup:

Friday, August 12: Marilyn Hazleton

From Allentown, Marilyn specializes in tanka and other Japanese poetries.

Friday, August 19: The Final Poetry Scene at The Erie Book Store. Don’t miss our last Hoorah! I heard there will be cake folks, yes I said CAKE!

Erie Book Store closes the end of August.

Erie Book Store, 137 E 13, Erie PA 814 480-5671.

 

Don't forget there are still plenty of events coming up so check them out here. 

Goodbye to Another Independent Book Store

When I had my book store it always made me laugh when someone came in and asked if the store was a library. It was as if they couldn’t comprehend the thought of a person actually buying a book. I certainly didn’t make money on books and I stocked both new and used. The little money that I made was on sidelines, you know not the main thing the store is selling.  People looking for a gift would buy a jar of jam or puzzle or game much more often than they would a book.

It was also interesting to see the difference in attendance at events that were held there. I had numerous book signings and poetry readings, with the exception of Snoetry, which was the longest poetry reading ever in Northwest Pennsylvania history and had a packed house, less than a handful of people attended. The most attended events held at The Last Wordsmith were rallies for Barack Obama. Next in highest attendance were the Tarot card readings. I could always count on them! But even when people did attend the majority did not buy.  In regards to poetry readings, mostly poets attend these and poets rarely have money.

The Erie Book Store has been around for 90 years. Kathleen Cantrell has owned it for the past 32.  I attended Poetry Scene there fairly regularly since the closing of my own book store. It is a welcoming store with a coffee area about the size of the one in my store but with a real fireplace. Kathleen has tended her shop for more years than I was able to mine. It is a difficult decision to make when it’s time to set it free, whether it is because the cost of it has made it impossible to remain open or as in the case of The Erie Book Store, its mom just wants to retire. 

There are a couple of other independent book stores in Erie. Books Galore resides in a large, old house crammed from floor to ceiling with books both new and used and is well known for the best place to buy comic books. Werner Books is smaller but has a nice atmosphere and the owner is very helpful and easy to talk to. If there are more I am not aware of them, there are a few others in outlying towns though.

These stores do not have quite the atmosphere The Erie Book Store does with the rocking chairs in front of the fireplace to relax with a coffee and the history of Poetry Scene, which has not only been a place for Erie poets, storytellers and songsters to perform, but also where I have made so many friends, not to mention the store cat, Diggory! I’m so glad he will be retiring to North East for his golden years.

The Erie Book Store will truly be missed. The final four sessions of Poetry Scene start next Friday from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. and will be every Friday thereafter until August 26. I hope that you will be able to attend one or all of them.

August Events

I've been away from the blog for a while. It's amazing how quickly time flies. And here it is the end of July so I have upcoming August events. Please let me know if you would like any added to the list and I'll happily add it.

Poetry Scene

The Final Four

6:30-8PM. open before every feature. Free admission.

Friday, August 5: Keith Moses

Keith brings his high-energy hiphop stylings to Poetry Scene for the last time.

Friday, August 12: Marilyn Hazleton

From Allentown, Marilyn specializes in tanka and other Japanese poetries.

Friday, August 19: The Final Poetry Scene at The Erie Book Store. Don’t miss our last Hoorah!

Erie Book Store closes the end of August.

Erie Book Store, 137 E 13, Erie PA 814 480-5671.

2nd Art Gang Organizational Meeting!

Bring your ideas and a friend! We're taking Tim Horton's by storm and having another awesome meeting there.

Monday, August 8 · 7:00pm - 8:00pm

Tim Horton's 209 E 12th St, Erie, PA 16503-1020

Second Tuesday

Tuesday, August 9

held every month at 7:00PM

The group is free and open to the public. Writers range from college-age to folks in their seventies, and from many backgrounds and life experiences. Some regular attendees have been nationally published and win prestigious awards. Anyone wishing to improve her or his craft through responsible feedback should give Second Tuesday a try.

The meetings last about ninety minutes, give or take. Short poetry is the most common genre, but any genre is welcome—short stories, short plays, and excerpts of longer works are often brought to workshop. Each author gets a turn to read his or her work, and then the group spends time discussing it (during which the author remains silent, taking notes). Then it is the author's turn again to respond to questions or ask further questions about the responses.

Second Tuesday Facebook 

203 Old Main, Mercyhurst College Campus

Erie PA

Enhanced Poetry LIVE

Wednesday, August 10 · 7:30pm - 10:00pm

CDBaby.com recording artists Enhanced Poetry, the words-and-music duo, Chuck Joy words, Kurt Sahlmann music. Claude Braudis opens with his acoustic guitar. No cover

Bobby's Place

West Eighteenth and Cranberry

Erie, PA

Saturday, August 13 at 9:30 a.m.

International Women Writers Guild  

Erie Book Store, 137 E 13, Erie PA 814 480-5671

Collingwood Poetry Series 

Saturday, August 13 at 4:00pm

Cherie Bullock features then a rare performance in Toledo by John Dorsey followed by an open mic.

Collingwood Art Center

2413 Collingwood Blvd

Toledo, Ohio

 

 

2nd Annual Blues for Shoes Benefit

Sunday, August 14 · 3:00pm - 9:00pm

 

This is the 2nd annual blues for shoes benefit. This even includes live music from five local bands. These local bands donate their time and talents to help raise money for school uniforms, school supplies, shoes, and other necessities to help with a successful school year. The event also includes a chinese auction, 50/50, and door prize giveaways. Donations are accepted for this event. Please inbox me to donate money or items for the chinese auction. All money from this event will be donated to community organizations that deal with children and families.

BayBreeze Lounge

25 East 10th Street

Erie, PA

Poetry & Dinner Nights at The Woodlawn Diner (3200 Lakeshore Rd, Blasdell NY 14219) will resume in September.

Don’t forget to put on your calendar for September

100 THOUSAND POETS FOR CHANGE

If you are heading to another venue for this event and passing through Erie, stop in our venue and read too! We’d love to have you.

Saturday, September 24 · 12:00pm - 10:00pm

Do you want to join other poets around the USA and across the planet in a demonstration/celebration of poetry to promote serious social, environmental, and political change? 100 THOUSAND POETS FOR CHANGE is organizing a global event for September 24, 2011.
The features for the evening will be Heidi Blakeslee and Sara Ries @ 8:00 p.m

International Fellowship of Poets and Spoken Word Artists PA Local 1136

1136 E Lake Rd

Erie, PA