Words Of Wisdom

No man is free who is not master of himself.


~Chinese Proverb

St. Mark's Bookshop's New Digs

I visited the new digs of St. Mark's Bookshop about ten days ago. It's a smaller place which, happily, is still in the East Village. It still has the many titles it had at the larger place on Third Avenue. Still has many items on the sale section.  The shelves are along the walls in a somewhat circular fashion which goes around the whole store.  

I have only been there once so I don't really have a feel as to how the store will do. Events such as reading are held there from time to time. I wonder how they will set the place up for such events. I will need to go there more often to find that out. I'm just happy that another independent bookstore didn't bite the dust.

Newfest

The annual Newfest Film Festival starts today and will run through July 29th. I will try to get to a couple of films and report about it.

Words Of Wisdom

Even during the dry periods, there's always something to write about. Your just have to work your way through the brush.

Kerouac's Biography

This is another book about beat author Jack Kerouac, biography. The authors, Barry Gifford  and Lawrence Lee talked with the people who knew and influenced Kerouac throughout his life. I'm not complete reading the book but already I like it. 

I'm a bit picky about bios because they can appear to to sanitized versions about the person. If someone wanted to write a biography about me I want it to be honest, warts and all. Thus far I am getting that impression. A review is forthcoming.

Cheryl B.

Cheryl Burke (1972-2011) was a  journalist, spoken word poet, performance artist and playwright. She was part of the East Village art scene in New York City. I never saw her at a live performance but watched one on YouTube.

 I followed her since the time I came out as transgender. I loved her biting wit and sense of humor. Known as Cheryl B., I took a liking to her after reading some of her work. Somehow she connected with me. She was more known as a performance artist having performed at many poetry venues in New York City. 

 

Cheryl was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2010 and died in 2011 from complications. She was only 38. I was shocked and saddened when I heard the news. Cheryl B. was a vibrant artist outspoken, witty and gifted in her craft. I loved that she had been sober for nine years. She made a point of mentioning that on the anniversary of it. I was also happy when finally had a partner, Kelli Dunham.  Cheryl was a reason that I began writing poetry over two years ago.

Rest in peace, Cheryl. It 's been three and I still miss you.

Poem

Dawn Revisited

BY Rita dove

Imagine you wake up

with a second chance: The blue jay

hawks his pretty wares

and the oak still stands, spreading

glorious shade. If you don't look back,

the future never happens.

How good to rise in sunlight,

in the prodigal smell of biscuits -

eggs and sausage on the grill.

The whole sky is yours

to write on, blown open

to a blank page. Come on,

shake a leg! You'll never know

who's down there, frying those eggs,

if you don't get up and see.

Words Of Wisdom

Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends and fads and popular opinion.

~Jack Kerouac

Trying Other Genres

I maintain that it's good to try your hand writing a different genre. I have written short stories, essays, commentaries, and poetry. I have dabbled in writing a few very short plays. I'm trying my hand at writing a novella. I'm not all that keen on writing a novel but that could change in the future. 

It's good to try out different genres just to break up the monotony that sometimes comes into a writer's life. It the reason I moved to poetry a couple of years back. I felt my story and essays getting stale. Poetry seemed to revitalize them. I also believe that it expands the way one sees a story. 

Words Of Wisdom

Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance.

~Carl Sandburg

Poem

Dawn Revisited

BY Rita dove

Imagine you wake up

with a second chance: The blue jay

hawks his pretty wares

and the oak still stands, spreading

glorious shade. If you don't look back,

the future never happens.

How good to rise in sunlight,

in the prodigal smell of biscuits -

eggs and sausage on the grill.

The whole sky is yours

to write on, blown open

to a blank page. Come on,

shake a leg! You'll never know

who's down there, frying those eggs,

if you don't get up and see.

Writing Life

My writing is going through some changes. I'm looking at some of my old stories seeing ways that they can be improved. I have been working on some new poems also. A review of a novella I'm writing could use some revision also.   Such is the life of a writer.