The Poetry of Bernard Alain: a definite 5, coulda been a 7

a note from the poet

Bernard believes expression should not be inhibited by form and reflect honestly, though enjoying a wide scope of appreciation for the many shapes the art provides, it is a personal mandate of his to increase readership for contemporary poetry by encouraging more organically formed and conversational text that reacts to and captures everyday events. He is the founder of two online sites, 'The Ink Blot' and 'The Cartier Street Review' where artists can submit their contemporary art and poetry for publication and feedback.

Bernard Alain has been published and/or featured in a few online journals recently such as the Orange Room Review, Madswirl, Pirene's Fountain, Mississippi Crow Magazine/RiverMuse Press, International Poet, The World Poets Society Electronic Catalog, Bywords, Bywords Quarterly Journal, Smoking Book and others with an upcoming publication in Wood Coin.

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

a definite 5, coulda been a 7

my cage was really rattled today
I wanted to step off
call Otis or Thyssen in,
to duke it out with a couple of antiquated
gearheads

but the rumble was so large
it filled the adjoining hall
and I realized the contender would
have to have a much larger billing

and the Doomsday march
played in my head with startling new revelations,
that I didn't want to be in that number
(or any number close to it)
and that if I ever fell off the top
I wanted the exclusive movie rights

and the sequel wouldn't have been called 'Treme'
but maybe 'Current Affairs' or 'I'm not Shore Anymore'
and there wouldn't be any actors
because our peace of mind
came from a river view
whose noisy ducks
only appeared to be
harmlessly migrating

and our core understanding
would've ended near the market area somewhere
where the hos would continue to
provide lip service to a depleted economy

the House of Commons
having to cool down regardless

all this just mighta

because today

(June 23rd, 2010)

somebody

didn't give a
nickel

to our seismologists
on call

Above is a poster selected from the upcoming 'The Notes of a Digital Ghost' collection by Don Schaeffer, the words on the poster are hard to read in this resolution so I have provided the text below:


Diane Recapitulated

So heavy 
when she lifts herself 
from the electric 
legs into a flesh and blood chair. 

"This damn corpus," came 
into my mind from hers. But then 
her face opened at the corners of her broad mouth, 
like a deep Irish red-head. 

And she could dance 
memories of Diane 
next door in our Pennsylvania days, 
before we found paradise.

*Don's blog is listed on the right along with some other favorites.

who in their right mind would consider R&R in Bali

We are all actors once the curtains have been drawn, and maybe Corby has proven to be a lesser thespian as Bali continues to hog the lead role in The Sarcrificial Lamb, we'll never know if she was innocent or not, Bali justice burned away the evidence (along with any credibility) at the onset. Little Java wouldn't last a day on the street corners of real democracy, I say cast a vote for the greater good ---take her back.

for such a small island

"Ron will stop the bullet before
it reaches my heart" she said

and the hydroponic cluster
journeys from the border to the courtroom
too uncut too raw
for a judge who rolls his own
we get away with too much he infers
spitting on sidewalks
jay walking
other heinous crimes

so fresh lamb turns on
a spit
while Bali and the dolphins play

"it is no longer a
matter of truth" Ron proclaims

you wonder why we get so high

The scoop on Yamrus these days

John Yamrus was my first real influence for contemporary poetry. I remember asking myself who was this guy who brought the American public into his livingroom and talked about his dog and wife. I've come to respect John's mastery of conversational mechannics and no doubt believe he is one of a only a few that have successfully layed a corner stone for the conversation poem. I frequent a few online haunts where he drops in occasionally, he's still pounding the pavement, beating the floorboards of school halls and universities with his microscopic views of day-to-day living. John continues to be a fixture in American poetry having been published many times and associated with other greats such as Bukowski. His latest book New and Selected Poems has been published by Lummox Press, check it out at lummoxpress.com

The dramatist's art Milner says...

Every now and then I take my edgy packets of IU to familiar haunts on the net, practice parlor etiquette with the guys and gals who donned their steeds as far back as the 60's,"the dramatist's art" Milner says and the most devoted of thoughts sail out the window on a paper airplane. Not to fret though, the dramatization of poetry continues to win the vote, evolving with more conversational and psychographic text, extorting three-dimensional views from reflex. As a contemporary shape, the conversation poem seems to be gaining the most readership, offering more accessible content with more gut-level reaction to day-to-day circumstances. Somewhere between the journalistic and the artistic, this colorful median is developing an engaging tenor, slowly dispensing with the arcane, allowing readers to participate on their own terms.

on Don Schaeffer

I remember stumbling on Don Schaeffer's poetry a little over a year ago, after reading about hundred poems from his stash it became apparent there was more behind the voice. The simple construction and vocabulary often leading to a wealth of three dimensional views comprised of psychographic text and references to unexpected shapes. Along with being prolific among poets Don shares another interesting dimension with his poster art, earthy distortions that merge easily with the warm human element in his poetry. Don, much like Yamrus and others has layed a corner stone in contemporary poetry being another exemplar for the three dimensional view. He has a book right now called The Body Event and availabe at Barnes and Noble, a worthy read and I recommend it as a great entry point into his collection. Notes of a Digital Ghost is slated for release by PA early this year, the book launch is in Winnipeg May 13 and to be available at Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble after May 16, keep an eye out for it, I will keep the details posted on this site.