Month: June 2013

Posted on by Luisa A. Igloria

Derecho Ghazal

And the high winds bore down, and the sky
built up that grey wall: derecho.

The taverns by the sea closed their shutters,
and the stands selling battered fries, derecho.

On the boardwalk, pieces of salt-water taffy, half-
eaten funnel cakes oozing grease and cream: derecho.

And the people on every highway, panicked, sought
a clear route for their exodus: derecho.

What’s in your emergency backpack? Beef jerky, mineral
water, flashlight, solar cells? Snap in the sound of derecho.

Yesterday, white and blue sails pretty on the water;
sharp glint of skyscraper glass. Then this derecho.

 

In response to Via Negativa: How to Sell Your Soul.

Posted on by Luisa A. Igloria

Imperishable Body

And what of the monk who asked to be buried
in the cedar box where he sat, lotus-legged,

until his body was exhumed, pried
loose from its yellow silk wrappers,

a full 75 years from the event? The five
cavities of the face gently blurred,

the ears that had not lost their
articulation— After all this time

beneath the loam, skin and joints,
unsalted loaf of the body still soft,

surprisingly pliable; though the yeast
had long since dissolved in the ordinary mud.

Posted on by Dave Bonta

Righteous

To my Lord’s and thence to the Treasurer’s of the Navy, with Mr. Creed and Pierce the Purser to Rawlinson’s, whither my uncle Wight came, and I spent 12s. upon them. So to Mr. Crew’s, where I blotted a new carpet that was hired, but got it out again with fair water.
By water with my Lord in a boat to Westminster, and to the Admiralty, now in a new place.
After business done there to the Rhenish wine-house with Mr. Blackburne, Creed, and Wivell.
So to my Lord’s lodging and to my father’s, and to bed.

A sure creed: I am blotted
with fair water, water
(now a new wine).


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Wednesday 13 June 1660.

Posted on by Luisa A. Igloria

Pruning

In the afternoon heat
I stood with clippers, sweat

streaming down my neck. I trimmed
the bushes back, cut the dead

heads of roses, eased the burden
of hydrangeas. Had I helped

stave off one more day
in this eventual hurtling

toward ruin? Had I helped
wage a little war here

against chance, exchanged
their lightening for my own?

 

In response to Via Negativa: Self-reflection.

Posted on by Dave Bonta

How to Sell Your Soul

Visited by the two Pierces, Mr. Blackburne, Dr. Clerk and Mr. Creed, and did give them a ham of bacon.
So to my Lord and with him to the Duke of Gloucester. So to Mr. Crews and look over my papers and business to set them in order a little; very hot weather. The two Dukes dined at the Speakers this day and I saw there a fine entertainment and dined with the pages.
To Mr. Crew’s, whither came Mr. Greatorex, and with him to the Faithornes, and so to the Devils tavern. To my Lord’s and staid till 12 at night about business. So to my father’s, my father and mother in bed, who had been with my uncle Fenner, &c., and my wife all day and expected me. But I found Mr. Cook there, and so to bed.

Sit. Give bacon
in hot weather
and dine at
the devil’s tavern
till 12 at night.


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Tuesday 12 June 1660.

Posted on by Luisa A. Igloria

Auf Wiedersehen

Not between the proverbial rock
and a hard place, but between
the softer and the harder

impermanence: therefore,
everything’s improvisation,
the voice thrown against

a closet wall, into a room,
into the rifts between rock.
And each time, a slight echo

returns: little eddy
and reminder, little
reverberation—

The train in passing goes.
Light dips beyond the trees.
A hand, lifted in that slow-

motion gesture of waving.

 

In response to Morning Porch and thus: such tender emptiness.

Posted on by Dave Bonta

Self-Reflection

Betimes to my Lord. Extremely much people and business. So with him to Whitehall to the Duke.

Back with him by coach and left him in Covent Garden. I back to Will’s and the Hall to see my father. Then to the Leg in King Street with Mr. Moore, and sent for L’Impertinent to dinner with me. After that with Mr. Moore about Privy Seal business. To Mr. Watkins, so to Mr. Crew’s. Then towards my father’s met my Lord and with him to Dorset House to the Chancellor. So to Mr. Crew’s and saw my Lord at supper, and then home, and went to see Mrs. Turner, and so to bed.

Me: my extreme business.
I see my father, that wit,
the war with chance.
My lord Me, we turn.


Erasure poem derived from The Diary of Samuel Pepys, Monday 11 June 1660.

Posted on by Luisa A. Igloria

Flicker

Made heavy by rain,
the heads of hydrangea
droop to the ground.

I do not come
looking for trouble—
Nor do I want to take away

your joy. Leaves
of the dogwood tipped
silver, leaves

of the ginkgo
spliced open
like fans—

At a certain hour,
one by one, each
evening almost

like a birthday:
street lamps
flicker on.

 

In response to Via Negativa: Birthday of Desire.

Posted on by Dave Bonta

Carriage of Falcons

  1. As general rule falcons should be carried in belly compartments, properly caged and subject to appropriate excess baggage charges system.
  2. Under certain circumstances carriage of Falcons may be permitted in the Cabin provided the following arrangements are made:
    • Falcons shall be carried in specially designed boxes.
    • The quantity of Falcons shall be limited to a maximum of three per box.
    • Seat unit(s), to be removed to accommodate these boxes should be the rear – most economy class seats.
  3. As for VIP/CIP passenger(s), the rear – most Oasis Class J/C seat unit(s) to be removed to accommodate these boxes provided the owner/attendant seated next to it.
  4. Falcons carried according to this procedure should always be accompanied by trained attendant.
  5. A veterinary health certificate of fitness to travel is to be issued.
  6. No Objection letter from the Kuwait Public Authority of Agriculture and Fishery Resources for all animals including pets for export or import to the State of Kuwait.
  7. Failure to comply with any of the above will result in the Falcon not to be accepted on the Flight.
  8. Passengers carrying Falcons should contact the nearest any Kuwait Airways Sales office.