Listening: Les Sans Coulottes Reading: Frances Mayes' Discovery of Poetry

I always wondered where those shoes came from, you know, the ones you see in the gutter or shoulder of the road? They were the inspiration for this poem.

MATELESS

Route 3
Left turn lane
Blue and gray striped felt Birkenstock
Jimmy was getting high in the backseat and his foot went through the window


Henry St. & Rt. 3
Gutter
White-girl shoe
Ashley jumped for the bus and missed her heel caught the glass

Brown St. & Milton
Sidewalk
Hightop basketball shoe
Some big kid followed Jordan and teased him about his aunt he turned around and punched him and ran

Milton
Center line
Black clog
The cancer had spread and she didn’t want to be a burden so Arlene took it all to Goodwill

College and Washington
Intersection
Clear jelly sandal
Stacy looked both ways but never heard the truck behind her

Washington
Gutter
Brown work boot
Paul swerved to miss the something….cables and tools shifted in the truck bed





State & 3rd
Curb
Goddamn bridesmaid dress looks like a pile of puke! And these shoes suck, too!

3rd St
Left lane
Gray track shoe
Wedding coming up…gotta lose 20 lbs…maybe jogging….will help….

Reading: Heart of Being Listening: Buddha of Suburbia

This poem brought to you by the letter “Y”

Legs or tree
Ready to walk away and grow

Maddeningly
Confusing to six-year-olds

What sound does
An enigma make

Yawp
Lye
Runny

That damned next-to-last
Also-ran

Fetchez la vache!

I only knew a little French when I stepped into class. It was all from Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Mme. King didn't appreciate it, by Kelly did. So was born a friendship that would always make me laugh, think, and love art of all kinds even more.

There are many inspirations and sustainers in a person's life that it is a bit daunting to name them or think of them in any but an abstract sense. Everyone I've met has become a sort of inspiration to me (but not always inspiring good thoughts) and has sustained something in me (sometimes bad things).

Here I'll try to expand my reach as a writer and artist.