at sherman’s deli

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at sherman’s deli, 4 young servicemen in fatigue jumpsuits and work boots eat eggs. old gay men in floral shirts stare at the 4 young servicemen like they’re on the menu. there’s an old woman wearing a straw hat on a string of pink yarn. when she knocks the hot sauce over, the latino busboy … Read more

a dream

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last night i dreamt that i was invited to read at a big event, a selection from an anthology. when i take to the stage i realize my piece is not my piece, and i can’t read what’s written there because it’s orange letters on a red background, and that’s impossible with my ridiculous vision. … Read more

reading 2019; a discussion

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it’s been a year. reading through 2019 was weird, starts and stops, some slowly read books and some quickly read books and some abandoned books. this year i set down any book that lacked emotional truth. i plan to continue that practice, in reading and in life. i was saved by words and sentences, saved … Read more

ugly/beauty

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#1 the girl in front of me at the Shopper’s Drug Mart has a spine that curves into a comma. she’s a hip hitcher. #2 the woman in front of me in the Starbuck’s lower face has contracted into her neck, evidence of old burns. once red, now white. she wears a single, worn, leather … Read more

radio call-in

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#1 the first record i ever owned i won by being the 7th caller into Big R Radio, Freeze Frame by J. Geils Band. this was 1980. the record cover had a punch at the top and was clearly an extra promo album, but the Dj threw in a fluorescent T-shirt as a consolation prize. … Read more

contest

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dear imaginary readers of this blog, okay, so i won a writing contest, the Little Bird Writing Contest offered through Sarah Selecky’s Writing Program. it feels great to finish a piece and also be acknowledged for the work. writing in a vacuum is hard, you know? rea PS here’s a little press for a little … Read more

files

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the boys files are thick with reports and diagrams, notes and questions. there are many medical words in the files, blunt words like infection and gangrene, necrosis and debridement. but there is a strange beauty for each file contains sketches of the boys, with a fading purple or blue background. there is the sketch of … Read more