Welcome to the beginnings of a new blog. It is my hope and desire that poets from around SE Alaska and elsewhere will use this site to share their work with each other and the world. The inspiration for this site comes from a monthly event held in downtown Juneau, Alaska at the Canvas studios, an open mic/poetry slam event entitled Woosh Kinaadeiyi (Parallel Trails) that remains an open invitation providing an opportunity for local poets to voice their words before an ever-growing audience. Tonight's event, as usual, offered a buffet of Juneau's best. Here is my latest offering to the feast:
SAYING HELLO TO THE GREAT DARKNESS
- For Bukowski (1920-1994)
Those years of alley-dark temptation,
Flash of thigh,
Neon glimpse of summer breast
Through a cotton shirt flecked with rain;
One look, the catch of wandering eyes
In a sinking world that sometime answered "yes".
The knowledge,
Late-night messages left behind by the sea.
Well,
She finally noticed,
Heard your inhalations, blasphemies and lies;
Picked up the bottle, recognizing prints,
Rolling over in her sidewalk sleep
To gather you in -
All thigh and drunken promise,
Eyes shining with whispers
Of bourbon and good cigars.
One more key in the lock;
A quick turn,
And then the quiet peace
Which comes of ashtrays and classical music.
An afternoon in its beginnings
Which may hold through tomorrow's sunset
As you draw back the shade, sighing over the next horse -
One more tease,
One more empty invitation;
One more chance to ring the bell
And make the tender run.
