Member of Bryan Lee’s Band Taking A Break Outside the Corner Pub (June 2, 2007), Conroe, Texas — Image by kenne
Computer Art by kenne
“I always thought that one man, the lone balladeer
with a guitar, could blow a whole army off the stage,
if he knew what he was doing. I’ve seen it happen.”
— Bob Dylan
The original photo was taken at the Corner Pub in Conroe, Texas during the Christmas season.
It was a merry time, but this image of one of the band members out of Austin, on his cell phone gave a different image.
Christmas Eve Alone
In the shadows of street lights
Outside the courthouse walls
Mused as they access the night
Leaning against the door’s edge
Not sure if I should go in
Or stay out and take the pledge
Gazing into the dark pub
Not penetrating the door
Peppered by waiting eyes
My shadow touching each eye
Knowing only my dark image
Masked in a fear of replying
So lonely are the shadows
Confined by all nearby objects
Blurring in with all that glows
— kenne
Corner Pub Still Life (2008)– Image by kenne
“The secret of a good old age is simply an honorable pact with solitude.”
. . . from One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel García Márquez
Poetry lovers at a Walt Whitman Reading, the Corner Pub, Conroe, Texas — Image by kenne
That which eludes this verse and any verse,
Unheard by sharpest ear, unform’d in clearest eye or cunningest mind,
Nor lore nor fame, nor happiness nor wealth,
And yet the pulse of every heart and life throughout the world
incessantly,
Which you and I and all pursuing ever ever miss,
Open but still a secret, the real of the real, an illusion,
Costless, vouchsafed to each, yet never man the owner,
Which poets vainly seek to put in rhyme, historians in prose,
Which sculptor never chisel’d yet, nor painter painted,
Which vocalist never sung, nor orator nor actor ever utter’d, 10
Invoking here and now I challenge for my song.
— from “A Riddle Song” by Walt Whitman
If you are one of those who think poetry is boring and you can’t relate to it, I suggest you read Robert Pinski’s poem, “Samural Song.” Then watch Akron/Family‘s performance of Pinski’s beautiful poem.
I love poetry. It sings to me — my tongue is my choir singing to my heart and soul.
kenne
When I had no roof I made
Audacity my roof. When I had
No supper my eyes dined.
When I had no eyes I listened.
When I had no ears I thought.
When I had no thought I waited.
When I had no father I made
Care my father. When I had
No mother I embraced order.
When I had no friend I made
Quiet my friend. When I had no
Enemy I opposed my body.
When I had no temple I made
My voice my temple. I have
No priest, my tongue is my choir.
When I have no means fortune
Is my means. When I have
Nothing, death will be my fortune.
Need is my tactic, detachment
Is my strategy. When I had
No lover I courted my sleep.
Now that Montgomery County has two Texas poet laureates (Paul Ruffin, 2009 & Dave Parsons, 2011), I share again a video I produced and posted on this blog, August 7, 2009, of the Texas Poetry Shoot-Out at “Good Books In The Woods,” Spring, Texas.
The event, a poetic shoot-out , paired two Montgomery County poets, good friends and mutual supporters, which carries even more significance now that Parsons has become the most recent poet laureate of Texas. Southeast Texas is the new hub of poetry in Texas.
And on that note. . .
the event Dave Parsons began eighteen years ago, The Annual Walt Whitman Birthday Celebration will be at Lone Star College – Montgomery, is Thursday, May 12th, featuring Pulitzer winner and iconic American author, C. K. Williams. As always, the afternoon campus event will be followed by “The Gathering of Poets,” 7:00 p.m. at the Corner Pub in Conroe.
kenne
Images & video by kenne
Sonny Boy Terry & Mike Durbin at The Corner Pub, Conroe, Texas, April 14, 2007 — Image by kenne
February 19th was a busy evening. First, I attended the February Writers in Performance series featuring National Book Award winner, Larry Heinemann, after which I went over to the Corner Pub to spend the reminder of the evening with friends Rich Del Grosso (Four time Blues Foundation Music Aware Nominee) and Jonn Richardson (Blues Foundation Albert King Award Winner at the 2005 International Blues Challenge). Rich and Jonn were playing together for the first time, providing a rare acoustic session.
Topping off the evening at the Pub, Diunna Greenleaf stopped by in support of her award winning Blue Mercy Band member, Jonn Richardson. An evening to remember!
kenne
Anyone that is a Blues lover in Houston, Texas knows about KPFT’s “Blues On The Move” Sunday morning show, hosted by “The Love Doctor,” Mr. V (James Vaughn) and his lovely wife, Mrs. “V” (Jo). Wherever live Blues is happening in Houston, it’s not uncommon to see the “V’s” in the house, and Saturday night at the Corner Pub in Conroe was no exception. This time the “V’s” were there to see Mean Gene Kelton and the Diehards, along with many of the original “Friends of The Blues — Montgomery County.” (FOBulous!)
As usual, I was taking some photos, and when Mr. V went on stage, I pulled out my little video camera. (I’m still working on the best way to upload my HD video to YouTube, so I’m still not pleased with the quality.) This was a reunion of sorts from last year Mr. V’ 69th birthday and in Memphis.
The song Mr. V does is Call It Stormy Monday (But Tuesday’s Just As Bad) by legendary and great, T. Bone Walker.
kenne
The Montgomery County Literary Arts Council (MCLAC) held its annual Emily Dickinson Birthday Party at the Corner Pub this past Thursday (December 4, 2008). You can learn more about the event and see photos at http://mclac.wordpress.com
kenne
Becoming is Superior to Being 
We all need the blues
To better understand life
All its ups and downs.
— kenne
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