I first saw it at last month’s 1st Thusday, via Pony Club, though I chose to wait for this month’s to buy, in a feeble attempt to keep a handle on the budget. Anyway, I am now the proud owner of this amazing book. If $15 seems steep I assure you it’s worth every dime.

AND through the sparkplugcomics site, I just learned I’ll be town during the PDX zine symposium! Looks like I’ll skip going to Seattle Meltdown with the MarchingBand…

Charles Simic has risen to the occasion, which hopefully inspires you to check some of his stuff, if you are not already familiar. I recommend Eyes Fastened with Pins as a starter. Snooping around a bit, it’s not hard to find examples where he himself is reading. Here is also an interview.
The great thing about Poet Laureates as opposed to other national leaders is they don’t have to lie about blowjobs or weapons of mass destruction. Were they to start wars, they would certainly have lower death tolls and be far less expensive-

I’ve been on the coast down by Tillamook over a long weekend for “OysterFest II”. We hiked in a few miles, schleped lots of grub and gear, then blissed out as a rotating cast of characters came and went. Max came too, but the other animals obviously stayed home. Constant roaring fire fed by endless driftwood, the gamut of weather: tons of sun, overcast, lite rain, heavy winds, nearly full moon. Did some elementary Ba Gua practice in conjunction with the pacific waves, and seriously could feel the dynamic. There was even a beach porn sculpture left by some stranger entitiled ‘Genevas First Time’ - don’t see THAT every day, though personally I thought the clamshell vulva was a bit much…

A bit of music, some reading, long walks, fireside talks - though after compounding sleep deprivation, alcohol, heavy sun and all the rest… my wound up neurotic shpeal wasn’t so appreciated by some of the more ‘mellow’ among us. But fuck ‘em: eventually I WILL prove the existence of God (apart from any religion) through passionate, nonsensical, never-ending argument. Anyway, these are the days. This is very much part of what it’s all about-