how happy can we be?

on Facebook today Christina Brooks postd this picture she took of John Burroughs & I at our reading at Lorain Arts Council a couple of months ago

Nancy Metcalf (1921-2011)

some may know of her as the wife of Paul Metcalf -- one of the most important American writers of the 20th century.

but I knew Nancy as a strong intelligent funny woman who always held her own in the household. yes she was the model of a writer's wife: loyal & supportive. but she knew who she was. I was lucky to have her as a friend.

when I visitd the Metcalfs at Wild Thymes I usually spent more time with Paul. Nancy always went to bed early. Paul & I wd then spend hours talking into the nite. but when Nancy & I had our time alone together there was never an awkward -- or quiet -- moment. it seems we were immediate friends. our conversations wd range from cooking to movies to things other worldy.

around the house are gifts from Nancy: an antique wooden bowl   a Romertopf   Warhol's cat book   & from my last visit to her that beautiful rock which she gave me the moment I expressd my fascination with it.

Nancy Metcalf was one of the beautiful people in my life. I'll miss the way she'd suddenly break into a dance. that's what I see first when I think of her.

Ken Russell (1927-2011)

I've heard it sd

that nothing postd on the internet ever disappears.

in Spring 2003 August Highland did a special edition of his Muse Apprentice Guild on my career.

when that ezine died I presumd my issue did as well. but o no.... there's something calld Way Back Machine which archives the lost. & there I found this salute.

bike trail

during the summer I reportd on some work the city was doing to an area where I walk regularly.

turns out the Arroyo Chamisa bike trail is getting a fashionable addition. & yesterday I walkd on the freshly asphaltd surface for the first time. here is that spot where I put the sign:

Tom Russell's in town

on his Misabi tour

from another dream

"In art
everything is connectd."

then an hour or so later --
from an Alice Ripley interview:

"How would they fit together?"

thx

to my memory for putting Cynthia Mayer & T. R. Queen in my dream.

however as it progressd it developd a disturbing end-of-the-world theme.

"Marrying the Eiffel Tower"

courtship brief
absinthe & brioche
but
honeymoon lasts
forever

Theodore Enslin (1925-2011)

Voyage loneliness unfinished
therefore lonely? no way to
put it other than the chance
words of loneliness voyage
whatever the voyage may be
or wherever we looked
any of us
tending fires in the galleys
where we'd cook whatever food
would sustain us
through that loneliness.
A fire     even to cook     at sea
is hazardous business &nnsp;   but
necessary     and loneliness
      yes.

"... I found out that Hoover had a collection of photos of Clyde sleeping."

Armie Hammer
Out (dec/jan)

Bruce's shoes

Holsapple

John Neville (1925-2011)

best known for his stage work Neville had an on & off screen career. most will remember him as Baron Munchausen but to me he'll always be Lord Alfred Douglas.

"Bathtub Full of Newt"

as he lowers
his mound of flab
water rises
spilling over tub
like
a cascade of diamonds
from Tiffany's

"Ribbon Candy in My Underwear"

what fills dreams
fuels push
to make

1997 collage

this collaboration with dear friends Bill Berger & David Meredith was done at the Andy Warhol Museum

snail mail

don't receive much anymore

but

in the past week a dozen catalogs have arr'd

behind the curtain

Hollywood is like Oz. the glitter is carefully orchestratd.

the other day we were passing Grauman's Chinese & I decided to have a look for the slab I saw Peter O'Toole do earlier in the year. as Billy & I were leaving I saw a pair of workmen at a side door:

being inquisitive I lookd closer:

these are the prints Mickey Rourke left not long ago. I'm not sure where they'd been & where they were going. only recently I found out that stars do practice slabs inside before coming out before the cameras for the final product. so perhaps that's what these are.

in the toilet

Billy & I celebratd 11/11/11 by lunching at Micheli's. then we went across the street to meet photographer Rick Castro. his Antebellum Gallery was having its 6th anniversary.

the current exhibition is of the work of Tom of Finland & includes a rare drawing he did of James Dean.

while there I was able to visit the gallery's infamous Tony Ward Toilet:

a true friend

I spent my splendid weekend at the estate of Bill Berger who I've known for more than 40 years. (that's his backyard in the photo of me being filmd.)

I took this photo of Bill beside the David Hockney pool at Hollywood Roosevelt.

at The Abbey

back from LA

where I was interviewd by Do & Erik Brouwer for a Dutch documentary abt silent screen star Jetta Goudal.

I read my poem "Femme Fatale" (from my book It's All a Movie). the doc will be releasd next year in conjunction with Erik's bio of the exotic actress.

in my day

students at Kent State marchd to town to protest the government

last nite students at Penn State marchd to town to protest the firing of a football coach

what can I say?

my body

despises the time change. the older I get the longer it takes to adjust to this cruel joke.

last nite I was ready for bed at 9 but had to force myself to stay up till 11.

this morning I woke feeling unrestd. & there was some snow on the ground. so I'm grumpier than usual.

Schweddy Balls

when I finally saw this ice cream at my local grocery I immediately bought some. I knew of the controversy & wantd to register my displeasure at One Million Moms. sounds like a great organization but it's actually a herd of disgusting right-wing homophobes.

stolen

this picture was taken during a march snow some years ago.

I'm sharing it because it's the best picture I can find of that windwill. I've had 3 of them in my yard for something like 15 years. they're supposed to discourage gophers (but fail at that). this morning I discoverd that this one has been taken.

out of the past

it's been a while since I've seen the 1965 Richard Myers film
"The Coronation." but tonite I found it online.

this still features the lead actor Terry Corley. days after entering Kent State I saw him perform at the old University Auditorium in something calld "Freshman Preview." some weeks later I saw him take the Gene Kelly role in "The Time of Your Life."

I have no idea what became of him but it was lovely to see him so lovely so long ago.

Twin Lakes:1979

new broadside

available from NightBallet Press

only in America

years ago when air traffic controllers went on strike President Reagan fired them.

so there's a new statute of the bad actor. & where else but in front of an airport.