I'm a
performance poet, so perhaps it's not surprising that last night I dreamt I was about to perform, reached into my bag, and saw I hadn't brought my text. I hope I won't do that on Saturday.
The Coffee House is celebrating its 40th season, and we Earth Poets will have our 20th annual performance there in 2007. We're growing old together. Since we're not yet too old, Harvey Taylor and I will perform on Saturday, September 9, at 8 PM, as part of a 40th Season Sampler Concert also featuring Mud River Lee, Jenna Lynne, and Theiss and O'Connor. The Coffee House is located at 631 N 19th Street (19th just south of Wisconsin). Free Admission
To a certain extent it's the Earth readings that keep me writing eco-poetry. I know at least I'll have a venue! But it's the East Side that usually triggers the poems. And as I bike around Shorewood and Whitefish Bay at this time of year, when summer fades to fall, I have to wonder about this obsession with perfection.
WHAT'S WRONG WITH IMPERFECT?
Color the lips, slim down the hips, get rid of the double chin
Realign teeth, cover crows' feet, powder each pimple
That breaks through the skin
Pluck out the brows, then draw them in
As if imperfect outside
Means imperfect within
Mascara the lashes, pierce the ears
Shave the armpits, hide all tears
Spray sweat away, shadow the eyes
Get rid of grey hairs, with chemical dyes
Powder each pimple
That breaks through the skin
Pluck out the brows, then draw them in
As if imperfect outside
Means imperfect within
Cut the grass short, spray weeds away
Make sure the lawn, shows no sign of decay
Let nothing grow wild, control all that's seen
Keep the grass a flawless green
Shape all hedges
Manicure edges
Don't let nature
Intrude on the eye
Of any casual passerby
Kill each dandelion
That pops through earth's skin
As if imperfect outside
Means imperfect within.
We face the world with our face
We face the world with our lawn
Based on the premise
That absence of blemish
Means perfect or lovely or strong
There's no contemplation as we smear, spray, or place
Cockeyed concoctions on our lawn or our face
And yet they may do much more than we think.
For whatever we use to cover our stink
Alter asymmetry, or make Snow White's apple red,
May kill off what we don't wish
Dead.
We ignore the damage that might arise
Creating faces and lawns that are
Lies.
