Ambiguity: a sculpture and a manipulated photo

Moved from the Metaphoratorium Gallery, then from the archives of this blog....

Here's a very low-res digitally altered photo of a sculpture of mine that now lives in Dedham, MA. You can judge the size against the objects in the background, on the left a printer, and on the right, a file sorter tray. I think I did the alterations in Neopaint, an old DOS program. Below is the black and white of the original photo. I like the mystery, first in the confusion of gesture -- is the figure straining to hear or covering ears to block unwanted words? Secondly, is the face masculine or feminine? ---- Mar Walker

A Pencil & Gesso Drawing: The Activist with a powerful female figure

Moved from the Metaphoratorium Gallery and from the deep archives of this blog

This is a somewhat unsucsessful photo of a drawing of mine in pencil and gesso. The smooth, heavy pencil mark in upper left portion reflected the flash. It's called The Activist and it incorporates some language on the far right. I have a different camera now and I am going to try to take another picture of this work, but with a little digital fiddling to reduce the glare on this photo, I kind of like the effect.

Polly Brody Reads in Southbury

One of my favorite poets - Polly Brody has a new book out! She will give a first reading from her new book, "Stirring Shadows," on November 18, at 7 p.m.  Hosted by the Southbury Public Library (100 Poverty Rd.)  Author signing and refreshments after reading. Registration requested:  call 203-262-0626 Ext. 130.  (See the directions tab on the library's web site...)   I should also mention that this is a gorgeous library with tons of parking onsite.

• You can read her poem Ephemera on the Wed Night Poetry web site, at this link: http://wedpoetry.wordpress.com/2009/02/04/2409-polly-brody/
• Or a set of her nature poems with bird photos on Bent Pin

Catholic Church backs Anti-gay Episcopal Congregations - with a new 'Pseudo Catholic" status

Well well - the Diocese of Bridgeport's unofficial homophobia gets a backhanded endorsement from Rome....  Now  they can go right on denigrating and campaigning against gay rights and marriage in Connecticut with the Pope's blessing ....   Oh wait, I think they already had that.....

The Episcopal Church in the U.S - half of which is somewhat gay friendly, is STILL at war with itself over the installation of gay bishops. I guess Rome is hoping to lure some of the homophobes and the breakaway congregations over to the Catholic camp by blessing certain parts of the Anglican liturgy to ease the transition and encourage conversions.

According to the New York Times, Cardinal William Levanda, who they cite as the Vatican's "chief doctrinal official" presented the plan at a news conference earlier today.

Of course I offer a remedy: Give up this anachronistic paternalistic god, along with all these man-made doctrines and leave the life and love commitments of the populace alone.

Here's a link to the New York Times article by Rachel Donadio
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/world/europe/21pope.html?hp

Disingenuous insurance industry threatens consumers to keep status quo

OOOOH if you regulate us --- ooh we will just have to charge more and it will be your fault. You SEE HOW WE HELD THE LINE ON COST IN THE LAST TEN YEARS! HAHAHAHA. NOT.

No surprise here. Insurers don't want reform - they are making enormous ENRORMOUS profits!!! At the last minute before a vote - they have released this report that THEY BOUGHT AND PAID FOR.... hmmm, nothing slanted here oh no.. no ulterior motive....

Why should they want to change?  Their anti-reform ads talk about a mysterious THEY who will choose what we can have or pay after reform.  BUT WHAT THEY DON'T SAY IS THAT --- right now it's profit-seeking executives making huge salaries who choose! And they choose to terminate people with diseases or risk factors. After a lifetime of payments they can shuttle you off into NO COVERAGE LAND.

And the countries where universal insurance works are the same countries where the GOVERNMENT tells them what they can charge.....    So either we need a public option or we need to tightly regulate glutenous insuranse companies who pay cadres of examiners to find ways to CUT your coverage any way they can.....

They have shown they can raise prices to astronomical levels all on their own - so lets try a little government intervention!

Bent Pin: D. Jason Cooper & Karl Miller, post mortem on divinity - newlink

NOTE THIS PAGE IS NOT YET IN THE NEW ARCHIVE. MAYBE LATER.

A new page is up on Bent Pin featuring a very funny bit of writing called God's Will by D. Jason Cooper as well as two poetic shorts by Karl Miller, called Communion Obsolescence and Once Last Insult.  The combination twists the meaning of the works just a bit. Take a peek.  <--this link has been repaired for the second time!!!!


UPDATE: Bent Pin closed in November of 2009. The Bent Pin Archive and Index are moving, albeit slowly.... to:

http://bentpinquarterly.blogspot.com   Note: the author index now at http://bentpinquarterly.blogspot.com/p/author-index.html is part of the archive

Gearing up for performance: testing the songs and the pipes

This past week at Wednesday Poetry both the open mic and the feature (Poet Will Nixon from Woodstock, NY), brought forth some novel and interesting material - and that always makes me happy.  Nixon is a very funny guy which was a nice change from the heavy and the heart-rending - though those can be powerful.  It was a great night.   For me, I brought my guitar and tested out a song of mine that I had rescued from my forgotten tunes pile...   It's called I Bet It All On You -You can listen to it over on my Youtube page. First I read it as a slam-syle poem, then I played it. The audience was very kind and appreciative.

I am getting ready for the four forty-minute sets deal again, and trying to bring the songs I used to play back into working memory. I am  right at the stage of prep, where my voice sounds good, and words come, but sometimes right in the  middle of something, I draw a blank on the next chord.  I know this means I need to get out there to open mics as much as I can to harden up the muscle memory again.  Over the years, I have learned that muscle memory really helps in performing and the only way to seal the memory is to heat it up repeatedly (sort of like the hardening process for metals) - that is, to play under fire in front of an audience over and over.

So, I thought I would re-enforce my Wed, Night experience with a little Friday trip. So Friday I rolled down the hill to a nearby open mic - one that's not advertised much - at the  East Coast Music Mall. Customers and students are invited at checkout or during their lessons.  It's really open mic/jam every other Friday night from six to nine, right in the store. (Sometimes it's weekly call the store for details) There are lots of under-age players with their parents. It's a nice supportive environment for young players to get used to an audience.

Nonetheless, this old bat (me) waded on in there and signed the list. There were other gray heads as well as a metal head or two, and styles ranging from folk to jazz with a lot of rock sandwiched in the middle. When my time came, I asked for advice on the settings of my Cort's builtin equalizer and pickup, then I said hello and gave my name, and launched into the first tune. I played "I Bet It All On You" and "Love Makes You Free" and then tried to quit -- but the audiences requested one more (you get a full 15 minutes), I turned to the sound guy. "I know you have at least one more tune in there..." he said so I played "Smooth As A Wishing Stone"(Long pond is cold) too.

Folks there were so very kind... Both the parents and the young players were very complimentary and encouraging.  A couple suggested I should go on the coffee house circuit. Another said he was glad I played the extra tune and that he would have been happy with a half hour more or so....   Of all the things I do and have done - my own songs with my own voice yield the most positive responses....

Like the little polish priest Father Olbrys told me "Choose to do that which only you can do......"  Though I am a firm atheist, I'm running with his advice.....