“Twig” — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Pay attention like a poet
and you will find a story.
Each twig on a bush
begins to be the story itself,
providing a basic truth
from which you can exaggerate,
but you’re still working with the basic truth.
— kenne
Leonard Cohen — Image source: balkanrock.com
This morning I learned of the passing of one of North America’s greatest poets, novelists, and singer/songwriters of our time. Like many others who listen to public radio, it was just a few days ago I was listening to KCRW’s Chris Douridas interview Cohen after the release of his latest album, “You Want It Darker.” At 82, he had not been in the best of health, but such news always carries an element of surprise. Click here to listen to the Chris Douridas.
kenne
Hallelujah — Leonard Cohen (YouTube Video)
“Wisdom of Art” — Computer Art by kenne
“This is the wisdom of art, the knowledge that beauty perhaps is the one undeniably unique attribute of the human.”
— C. K. Williams
Alone In The Night Shadows II — Image by kenne
– kenne
Alone In The Night Shadows — Image by kenne
— kenne
Image by kenne
Charles Bukowski: A Bio Poem
yes,
there was a
Charles Bukowski
sad eyes
weary voice
a poet-recluse
writing about
down and outs
skid row
alcohol
relationships with women
German American
raised catholic
abused
shy, alienated
teenage acne
desperate days of the
great depression
attended
Los Angeles City College
art,
journalism
literature
flirted with the far right
grew bored
failed a physical and
psychological exam
classified 4-f
“on a Santa Monica Monday”
first story
published at 24
grew disillusioned
quit writing
“on the sidewalk
and in the sun”
ten-year drunk
bleeding ulcer
nearly died
begin writing poetry
first wife
small town Texas poet
decapitated in India
religious zealots
obscure cult
traumatized by wife’s death
resulting in a
powerful series of poems
“I hold fast to me,
that’s all there is.”
series of muses
a daughter
ten years with post office
wrote a column
notes of a
dirty old man
quit the post office
decided to starve
full-time writer
a loner
unable to live alone
“because I’ve got
a pocket full of dreams…”
move to San Pedro
married Linda
referred to as Sara
died at 73
many consider
Bukowski’s writings
those of a taboo
male fantasy
“they say that
nothing is wasted
either that
or
it all is.”
— kenne
Charles Bukowski in Ham On Rye writes of Henry Chinaski, his raw voice alter ego having a beer with Becker:
“. . . I’d like to be a correspondent in Washington, D.C. I’d like to be where big things are happening.”
“Washington’s crap, Becker.”
“And women? Marriage? Children?”
“Crap.”
“Yeah? Well, what do you want?”
“To hide.”
“You poor fuck. You need another beer.”
“All right.”
The beer arrived.
Source: Booktryst
“The difference between life and art is art is more bearable.”
– Charles Bukowski
Mt. Lemmon, December 22, 2011 — Image by Kenne
kenne
Image by kenne
The year began with the following posting:
On the same day the Blues world lost one of its own (Mean Gene Kelton) , I received word that one of the past Writers In Performance Emily Dickinson panelist, Susan Bright, long time poet / publisher (Plainview Press) succumbed to liver cancer. Susan was author of 19 books of poetry, three of which have been recipients of Austin Book Awards. As editor/publisher of Plain View Press since 1975, she had published 100 books. Her work as a poet, publisher, activist and educator has taken her all over the United States. Montgomery County Literary Arts Council founder, Dave Parsons shared in an email how Susan adored swimming at Barton Springs, “. . . which of course, made her my blood-sister…she was a real force for poets in Texas…here is a poem she wrote which has been published on Facebook as a fitting tribute:”
“Snakes On The Wall” — by kenne
Decoding Poetry
Poetry
What is it?
Is it not all things
Feeling?
Thoughts?
Ideas?
Wisdom?
Beauty?
Music?
Art?
in human existence?
Is it not all things
Love?
Hate?
Despair?
Fear?
Greed?
Charity?
of human experience?
Yet,
some claim
the words of poetry,
as if anointed
announcing to the world,
“I know the code!”
Poetry is not code,
allowing entrance
only to a few
fettered and packaged
for the scholarly.
If I experience
my own life
in the words another,
it is poetry —
for it is I
who holds the code
to my existence.
In the end,
there is no right
or wrong answer —
poetry is like dancing,
if it feels good,
do it!
kenne
Decoding Poetry
Poetry,
what is it?
Is it not all things
we experience —
Feelings?
Thoughts?
Ideas?
Wisdom?
Beauty?
Music?
Art?
In human existence?
Yet,
some claim
the words of poetry,
as if anointed
announcing to the world,
“I know the code!”
Poetry is not a code,
allowing entrance
only to a few
fettered and packaged
for the scholarly.
If I experience
my life
in the words of another,
it is poetry?
For it is I
who holds the code
to my existence.
In the end,
there is no right
or wrong answer –
Poetry is like dancing,
if it feels good,
do it!
— kenne
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