October’s Theme & November’s Theme

…as if the protagonist was the earth itself holding on to the moon…

From reading Yehuda Amichai poems every morning (plus a slim volume of Richard Siken poems along the way…at night!) to setting out on a possessed poetry writing bender of my own, October’s theme was obviously “Poetry!”  (When my poems are all squared away…I’m going to post them online.)

Rookie’s October theme was “Human Nature.”

The line breaks and formatting are all weird because of the block quote, but here’s one of the 27 poems I wrote:

Down with It, Innocence

Summer started with my best friend Valium Tom (and chantrelle mushroom tacos)
Lorde released her new album that same night
at Midnight

And I did too.

I bought expensive perfume; the carrot seed oil at the organic remedies store

“Most people don’t like that one.”
Well well, it’s going to be one dank summer!

Painted in carrot potion,
I took the train
to London
to find
bike stations
glam shoplifting
Dr. Jekyll’s red drams cabinet
Ziggy Stardust
and Flash Toby Crackit

I took the train
to Latimer Road station
and Blechynden Street, the historic block where the Misery Kid, Dean Swift, and Mr. Cool fought the Nazi punks

Nearly 60 years later, I found the Marxists and the flowers
of Grenfell Towers

I had momentum now.

Back in Seattle, as if the protagonist was the earth itself holding on to the moon, there were feminist stains and punk rock sleeping bags on my bedroom floor

and places that are gone, live in concert

Talking on my iPhone, walking on I-5 alone
past devout death metal posters

the perfect ratio of frozen blueberries to three tablespoons of carob powder

And on this anniversary of disaster, I could be, among friends, electric.

Jason Strategies was there, Katherine Yoga Smoke, Pal Ani, William Out,
Sativa Lysa, The 42nd Prez, Pony Heights Kid, Johnny Rotten Shoes. And Valium Tom

This was the summer of Charlottesville, when we all became protagonists

Just like last month, once again I’ve ID’d my monthly theme after the fact. That’s not the way my themes are supposed to work! The original idea was to take control and define things at the beginning of the month.

I’m going to try to reestablish that tradition now.

 November’s Theme is: “Woven with Carrot Seed.”

Rookie’s November theme is “Reflection.”