Archive for June, 2010

June 22, 2010

false start

by jhon baker

False start, a half a page into the post and it was junk. False starts are a pretext to a much grander illusion. That is to say that what remains may be more profound or less depending on your attachment to the former beginning which was wholly parsing The Doors in a historical context. I gave up on it when it fell into the realm of personal opinions. A singular belief is unimportant when it comes to the historical context.

Another false start, writing about constraints and then realizing that the author Lily Hoang recently wrote about the same thing in the same manner as was being laid out here. Not being into intellectual property theft and feeling it best to stick with the theme, it was erased in it’s entirety.  Another half page gone.

But this is the problem, what do you want to see here? what words do you need to read? a photo that makes you cry or laugh or sigh and go awww – and here is the moment where you project those wishes
on this blank space.

there, your life should now be complete.

June 21, 2010

the poem and reflection are both reflections but unrelated.

by jhon baker

Father’s day was calm, relaxing. Watching favorite movies, reading a book and eating the best homemade meal on the planet. Went out to the shop and looked for a lost part for the better part of an hour when I decided that yesterday was not the day for getting all worked up. Played games with my son and reflected. 
There are three things that I am that I love being, a poet, a father and a husband (in no discernible order mind you). There are other things that I am that I could do without maybe or maybe not but nonetheless I do not like them as much as the other three. We look for the constants which medication does not erase, many things wax and wane with time and in the constants we find out ourselves defined/refined.


the medications make me sweat when I am not sedentary.
Years ago I found I could no longer lie, once I had taken a Buddhist vow. When I try I lose my words and cannot speak what I so desperately want to lie about. Think about it like this – say you look like a whore in a particular dress and ask me how you look – the right answer is ‘sexy’ or the non-committal ‘good’ – what comes out of me is – ‘well, you look like a whore.’ which inevitably ruins the whole evening.
with the language that I wear as a skin I am still able to word things that they are truth but convey nothing of the meaning of said truth. “you look ready for friday night.’
or just be objective – ‘wow, how much does that cost?’ 
but as I said, it would come out of me as “well, you look like a whore.”


sweat

my body stinks, sweat beads
soaked my shirt and slacks.
I changed my boxer briefs and socks
but should’ve taken a shower and
changed all my clothes.

I don’t mind so much when
the stink gets to others
if they’re offended, so what;
it’s when the scent
offends me.
distracting!

there is a lot of day to get
through still
before a bath of shower can
be employed.
for now I’ll have to bear it
and so will everyone else.

 – Hoc Scripsi

June 19, 2010

Father’s day weekend

by jhon baker

for the next month I am only submitting to journals that do not accept electronic submissions.
unless I am otherwise asked or invited personally to submit somewhere that prefers the electronic medium.
this is not to support the USPS directly but it has that as an added benefit.
I somehow believe that rejections and acceptances experienced viscerally are more emotionally impacting.

Tomorrow is Father’s day so I will not be posting. I’ve only ever asked for things for my son for F.D. so this year I asked for him to draw me something.

To all fathers who are good at the job – Happy Fathers day.
all fathers that suck at it – go shoot yourself in the thigh with a .357 and try harder.

June 19, 2010

coming home

by jhon baker

let’s get out the I-Ching
and roll the dice.

get our your taroc pack
and deal aces and eights.

get your sideways glance
at the moon, we’re
coming home.

 – Hoc Scripsi

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